LAKEWOOD, Wash. - A Lakewood teen has been charged with murder after police say he stabbed his neighbor to death who was complaining about a loud party.
On July 31, police responded to the Morning Tree Apartment complex on 83rd Ave. SW for reports of a man who was obviously dead behind the complex dumpster. Police arrived and found the man in a pool of his own blood.
The victim was identified as 64-year-old Leonard Williams.
While at the scene, it was brought to the attention of a detective that one apartment had been a "near constant source of 911 calls over the last several weeks," according to court documents.
Complaints have consisted of "wild parties, gang members, weapons and underage drinking," according to documents.
Earlier in the night, before the deadly stabbing, officers were dispatched to that apartment twice for loud party and fight complaints, according to court documents.
A witness came forward the same day that the victim's body was found and told police what they say happened.
This witness attended the party inside the apartment. They told police that they left for about 15 minutes and when they returned, they got a phone call from another party attendee who said: "We need to go… I think Chubbs just killed someone."
According to court documents, ‘Chubbs" is the nickname that 17-year-old Brodey Brownell goes by.
The victim told police that Brownell sent them a video that he recorded of himself stomping on the victim's head while saying, "you messed with the wrong person," according to court documents.
The witness told officers that the video clearly showed the victim bleeding out of his eye, ears and mouth and appeared to be choking on his own blood.
Another witness said three teens were talking about their friend who had just stabbed someone with a knife when the victim was confronting them over the loud party.
The medical examiner later determined that Williams was stabbed six or seven times in the neck and face.
After officers examined the surveillance video evidence and got witness testimony, Brownell was arrested. He has been charged with first-degree murder and assault.