(WSB photo, Wednesday afternoon)

10:57 AM: We’ve confirmed that at least two suspects have been arrested in a recent series of armed business robberies, and that at least one remains in jail today, an 18-year-old held in lieu of $500,000 bail. His arrest traces back to last Wednesday’s stop of a stolen car near Roxhill Park (photo above), but he was not one of the four people taken into custody at the time. As a result of that stop, though, detectives developed information that led them to this suspect. Here’s how the preliminary probable-cause documents explain it:

The documents specifically mention a MetroPCS phone-store holdup earlier Wednesday afternoon in Burien, involving four masked robbers, one with a gun. Detectives who responded “were aware of an ongoing robbery series, which included the robbery of another MetroPCS store on November 30th” (this one in White Center) and a stolen gray 2014 Toyota Camry linked to some of the robberies, carjacked in Seatac on November 27th. But something else – not specified in these preliminary documents – led them to pull over the stolen black Toyota Prius at 30th/Cambridge. Not long thereafter, they found the Camry in High Point – we photographed it that night but couldn’t confirm its connection until now.

(WSB photo, Wednesday night)

The documents say police subsequently “found the cash register that was taken from the MetroPCS in Burien in the area …pried open (and) empty.” On Friday, detectives spotted the 18-year-old suspect at 27th/Trenton and followed him to Southwest Athletic Complex, where they arrested him. The court documents say they found an unloaded gun in his pocket, and that he’s a convicted felon so should not have been armed. The report indicates it was a theft conviction and that law enforcement would object to his release (a standard yes/no question on these documents) because “(the suspect) and associates have been on a robbery spree for the past few weeks. The robbery crew has been armed and physically assaulted victims.” Meantime, SPD has just confirmed to WSB that last Friday’s SWAT-involved arrest in High Point involved a juvenile suspect in the spree:

(WSB photo, Friday afternoon)

That unfolded not far from where the Camry was found Wednesday night. SPD says they’ll have more info on all this later today; we’ll update when it’s available.

ADDED 12:14 PM: Here’s what’s now on SPD Blotter. Additional details: The suspect arrested in High Point is 17; the spree involved “approximately a dozen armed robberies in West Seattle, Ballard, Sea-Tac, Burien and White Center over the past several weeks”; and they’re still expecting to arrest others.

ADDED 3:55 PM: We’ve just obtained the probable-cause documents related to the 17-year-old suspect. They say he confessed to eight armed robberies. The ones for which he is being held include the phone-store robberies, a shoplift-turned-robbery at Roxbury Safeway on November 29th, and two robberies we’ve previously reported on – the Lucky 5 holdup at 35th/Henderson on December 1st and an alley holdup in The Junction (which was followed up, police say, by the robbers returning to steal the victim’s car). The documents also say the 17-year-old was found, when arrested, to have a gun, and as was the case with the 18-year-old, that was illegal because he too has a felony record – two robbery convictions. (added) On second reading of the documents, we note the 17-year-old was also reported to have confessed to “various thefts of cash registers, packages from the porch of a residence, as well as liquor from grocery stores.”

The photo and report are from Rosalie:

While we were driving home last night at 5:45 pm on SW Manning Street at 36th Avenue SW, a red Toyota vehicle heading south on 36th, ran a stop sign and hit the right front side of our car. The Toyota left the scene headed west on SW Manning, then south on Belvidere Ave. A police report was filed. If anyone has a video surveillance system that possibly recorded the vehicle anywhere on 36th, Manning or Belvidere, we’d greatly appreciate that you contact the SW Precinct at 206-625-5011.

If you can help, refer to case # 19-453333.

Three notes in West Seattle Crime Watch this afternoon:

WARRANT: Several people have asked about this; the SWAT officers in High Point this afternoon were there to serve a warrant. No other details yet.

PROWLER: From Brian west of The Junction:

Caught someone looking through windows and trying to open our front door today. Near 47th and Alaska. Reported to police and they came by about 15 mins later to check on the house. He went North. Please post video.

The incident # is 19-451485.

PREVENTION: From Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner, the latest newsletter focuses on burglary/robbery prevention, with a seasonal emphasis:

(WSB photo from September 19, 2017)

2:22 PM: We’re at the county courthouse downtown, where the jury has just announced its verdicts in the trial of Anna Kasparova and Abel Linares-Montejo, charged in the September 2017 shooting death of 25-year-old Edixon Velasquez outside his Westwood home. Kasparova, 23, guilty of 1st-degree murder. Linares-Montejo, 21, guilty of 1st-degree murder. Both were found to have used a gun in the commission of the crime. He was accused of firing the deadly shots – ostensibly during a robbery attempt – after Kasparova, who had dated Velasquez, got him to come outside and help her park her car. She was arrested a few days after the early-evening shooting; he was arrested two weeks later. After closing arguments on Monday afternoon, the 8-woman, 4-man jury deliberated 2 1/2 days. More to come….

2:43 PM: Their sentencing date will be set later; both have been in jail since their arrests in fall 2017. The trial lasted a month, and Superior Court Judge Kristin Richardson thanked the jurors in open court for their service during a “long (and) difficult trial.” As deputies took them back to jail after the verdict, Kasparova was crying; Linares-Montejo told family/friends in the gallery, “I’ve got faith in God … I’m still coming home.” Someone said, apparently referring to the jury, “I hope they’re happy”; someone else responded, “No one’s happy.”

1:09 PM: From Jen: “Someone just notified me of an open suitcase in front of my house at 35th and Cloverdale. The suitcase is a green roller. Brand is Head. I brought it up to my porch. It looks to be all clothing and I don’t see any ID inside.” That’s in the general area that’s had a spike of burglaries/car prowls lately, so could be stolen/dumped. If you’re missing a packed suitcase like that, contact us and we’ll connect you.

1:37 PM: Photo added.

(WSB photo)

That was the scene at 30th SW and SW Cambridge, just west of Roxhill Park, around 3:30 pm. Police pulled over a stolen car; we were pointed to the King County Sheriff’s Office for comment, since the car was their case. KCSO spokesperson Sgt. Ryan Abbott tells WSB four people were arrested, and it’s likely more than an auto-theft case. We asked about radio exchanges indicating a possible link to robbery cases, as well as a possibly related car found in High Point. Sgt. Abbott’s reply: “We do believe they are involved in robberies; which ones, we don’t know yet.” The area’s been hit with several 4-robber holdups lately; we’ve covered two – last Saturday at a White Center phone store, and last Sunday at the 35th/Henderson Lucky 5 (here’s our followup) . Investigators are still working on all this; more information is expected tomorrow.

(WSB photo, investigators at scene, September 2017)

By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

Following an afternoon of closing arguments, the fate of 2 people accused in the deadly 2017 shooting of Edixon Velasquez is in the hands of the jury.

We were at the courthouse downtown this afternoon as jurors listened to the final pitches from the prosecution and defense lawyers for 23-year-old Anna Kasparova and 21-year-old Abel Linares-Montejo.

They are charged in the 25-year-old victim’s death outside his home in the 8100 block of 31st SW on September 19, 2017.

The three attorneys who presented closing arguments – prosecutor Wyman Yip, Kasparova defense lawyer Suzanne Pickering, and Linares-Montejo defense lawyer Kris Shaw – offered differing scenarios.

Read More

In West Seattle Crime Watch today, two robbery cases from the long weekend:

JUNCTION STREET ROBBERY: Thanks to the tipster who let us know about this incident early Thursday morning. We requested and obtained the report today. It happened around 12:30 am; the victim told police she had used the Chase ATM at California/Oregon and then walked into the alley, where two people approached her. One pointed a “black semi-automatic” handgun at her while the other went through her pockets. They took her phone, car and house keys, and wallet. Description: “about 27 and 29 years old … the male who pointed a gun at her was mixed race – White and Black – and about 5’8 … the male who was with him may have had a hoodie on.” Police searched but did not find the robbers. The victim called later to add one detail: One of the robbers had hit her in the face.

LUCKY 5 ROBBERY FOLLOWUP: We reported briefly last night on the holdup at the Lucky 5 gas station/mini-mart at 35th/Henderson. Today we requested and obtained the report, which has additional details: The robbers were described in the report as “four black males … wearing dark clothing, gloves and masks … At least two of the males were wearing backpacks … teens-20s, 5’7-5’9″.” They assaulted the person working in the store and knocked down displays, scattering merchandise on the floor. One held the worker at gunpoint and demanded that he open the cash drawer; the robbers also started loading their backpacks with cigarettes. One took a necklace from the person on duty, a lifelong keepsake described as gold, with “rectangular chain links, and a thin tiger pendant.” Surveillance video from outside the store shows their getaway vehicle was a “silver four-door sedan” with tinted windows.

Crime Watch miscellany to report tonight:

DELRIDGE RESPONSE: Thanks for the text on this. King County Sheriff’s Office Transit Police responded to a report of a phone-robbery attempt aboard a bus late this afternoon. We found deputies at Delridge/Orchard (above); that’s all they could tell us.

SOUTH OF THE JUNCTION: Earlier in the afternoon, we were asked about a response at 5001 California SW. The call designation for this was “commercial burglary.”

HOME BURGLARIES: Two notes as we continue tracking a recent spike in these. First, Tweets by Beat shows two more reported late today, in the 6700 block of Fauntleroy Way SW and in the 4400 block of 42nd SW. Meantime, we obtained one report from the recent incidents we’ve mentioned, for the 8200 block of Northrop. The report says burglar(s) entered by kicking in a door to the house accessible from a carport. They ransacked most of the house, stealing items including jewelry boxes and an antique sword.

STOLEN-SUBARU FOLLOWUP: On Sunday, we published Ben and Jennifer‘s report that their green Subaru Outback had been stolen. Then in another Crime Watch thread on Monday, Ben commented that Bellevue Police had found it “with a car chase and everything.” So we asked BPD for more details:

Our officers responded to a parking lot to check for a stolen vehicle at 5:14 pm on 11/25/19. The car was not there, but was located southbound on 148th Ave to WB I-90. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled to a dead end where he abandoned the car. Our officers were able to recover the vehicle and have leads on the suspect.

No further details about items Ben said were in the car, though.

8:49 PM: This past week, we have reported (here and here) on an increase in burglaries, primarily on the south end of the peninsula. Since last night, four more have been reported – 8200 block of Northrop (above) reported this afternoon, 8500 block of 39th SW reported this evening, and two on Delridge Way (8100 and 8400 blocks) late last night. We don’t have details of any as we haven’t heard directly from the victims, and we won’t be able to request report narratives until tomorrow, but it’s a reminder to be extra-watchful for any suspicious activity in your neighborhood, especially in the daytime, which is when most burglaries happen.

ADDED 9:06 PM: Just in from John – “We had multiple mailboxes broken into up in Arbor Heights in the 100xx block of 39th Ave SW on Monday sometime between 5:00 and 8:30 PM.” It’s been reported to police and the Postal Inspection Service, John adds.

Ben and Jennifer hope someone will see their metallic green 2017 Subaru Outback, stolen from in front of their house overnight in the 3200 block of 47th SW. Plates are National Park 10222. If you see it, call 911.

MONDAY NIGHT: Ben says the car’s been found – by Bellevue Police.

Back on Wednesday, we reported on a spike in residential burglaries in West Seattle. After a comment on that story tonight, reporting another break-in, we checked back with the Tweets by Beat log, and note that it’s continuing, with at least six residential break-ins in the past two days, all on the south half of the peninsula:

-8100 block 29th SW
-8800 block 16th SW
-7700 block 28th SW
-7800 block 39th SW (as reported in the aforementioned comment)
-7500 block California SW
-4000 block Othello

After the last story, Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner asked that we remind you she offers “free residential safety/security assessments, as well as burglary follow-ups” – she’s at je*************@*****le.gov – in case you’re not sure your home is as burglary-resistant as it could be.

(WSB photo, September 2017)

Two years after 25-year-old Edixon Velasquez was shot dead in the street outside his Westwood home, the two people charged in his murder are on trial.

After multiple questions about how the trial was going, we were finally able to go to court today, the only way to get that answer.

King County Superior Court Judge Kristin Richardson, a former prosecutor, is presiding over the trial of 23-year-old Anna Kasparova and 21-year-old Abel Linares-Montejo. Kasparova is the victim’s former girlfriend; Linares-Montejo is a subsequent boyfriend of hers, and described in court documents as believed to be the father of the baby she delivered in May of last year, eight months after the murder.

Prosecutors allege that they went to Velasquez’s house on September 19th, 2017, with the intent of robbing him; after Kasparova lured the victim outside, they say, Linares shot him twice. She was arrested the next day; he was arrested two weeks later.

The trial started in late October with jury selection. The prosecution called three witnesses while we were there today. The first was a records custodian from Facebook/Instagram, verifying records the company turned over from social-media messaging allegedly related to the case. The other two were a close friend of Linares and the friend’s cousin, both now 21 years old; they were both residents of an Auburn mobile-home park at the time of the murder. They spoke about visiting Alki earlier on the day of the shooting – not with Linares – but then catching up with him much later, after the shooting, and being present when police arrested him two weeks later. Questioning also centered on whether the alleged robbery attempt was planned, all the way down to a slang term used in messaging that might have indicated a plan.

The trial is expected to last at least through next week, Judge Richardson noted this afternoon. Testimony continues tomorrow morning but it will be a half-day, she also said. The trial briefs filed by both sides show a very short list of possible defense witnesses, including potentially the defendants themselves.

Early Saturday, we reported on a police investigation following 911 calls about gunfire in the 1900 block of Harbor Avenue SW. Officers found shell casings and blood near an empty vehicle – but no victim – in a parking lot. Today we followed up with SPD. Spokesperson Det. Mark Jamieson tells WSB that “A short time later, a male victim arrived at Swedish Hospital stating that he was in a physical fight, got pistol whipped, and suffered a large laceration to the back of the head. According to the victim, during the fight an unknown subject fired several rounds into the air.”

In West Seattle Crime Watch tonight:

WESTWOOD VILLAGE CAR PROWL: Reader report received this evening:

I was the victim of a car prowl outside 24 Hour Fitness last night (11/16) between 7:30pm-8:50pm. It was disappointing because it was my first real visit to the gym after starting a membership earlier in the week.

When I left the gym, I found the driver-side window of my car smashed in, and some Seattle Public Library CD’s and personal CD’s in the passenger seat that were taken. Nothing of real value, but now I’m stuck with cost of replacing the broken window, which is money I don’t have.

When I went back inside the gym to report the incident to employees behind the front desk, one of them asked, “Did you park on the Marshall’s side?”. I said yes, and he said there had been at least 4 recent car break-ins in that same area of the parking lot.

We checked Tweets by Beat – which, it should be noted, does have gaps – and found four car-prowl calls logged to WWV addresses since Oct. 1st.

CAR PROWL/THEFT PREVENTION: This month’s educational bulletin from Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner focuses on those two crimes – read it here (PDF) or below:

SHOTGUN SUSPECT FOLLOWUP: One update in a case we’ve been following – that of 48-year-old Michael J. Mullen, who originally made news in a June incident involving a “heavily altered” shotgun. Four weeks ago, we reported that he was back in jail, charged with misdemeanor domestic-violence harassment after an incident involving a roommate. Checking online court records, we see that case has since been dismissed but he was kept in custody on a “remand” in the gun case. Now he’s been found incompetent to stand trial and ordered to spend up to 45 days at Western State Hospital for attempted competency restoration.