Fiancée of man murdered in broad daylight in downtown Seattle wants justice
SEATTLE - The fiancée of a man shot and killed in broad daylight in downtown Seattle says she wants justice, and will never stop until a suspect is caught.
"Knowing that I will never hold him again. I will never kiss him again. I can't tell him I love him. It's not fair," said Dana Leadbetter.
At 12:28 p.m on Feb. 27, Seattle Police responded to 3rd Ave and Pine Street for reports of a shooting. Officers arrived and found 52-year-old Reno Maiava shot multiple times.
Officers and Seattle Fire Department medics attempted lifesaving measures, but Maiava was dead at the scene.
Seattle Police Det. Valerie Carson says there is no security video available yet that may help identify the shooter. Footage obtained by FOX 13 News from a nearby restaurant’s surveillance camera showed dozens of people running from the sound of gunfire.
Leadbetter believes there are witnesses who were there who know exactly who shot and killed Maiava.
"I really don't know why anybody would want to hurt him. I don't know if it was random, but I know he didn't deserve it and I want justice for that. His family and friends need justice for that," said Leadbetter.
The two had been together off and on since they met seven years ago.
"He was real. He was down to earth and he was just a good person with a good heart. He loved to go down by the water. That was our thing together as well," said Leadbetter.
"He’s got a lot of friends and a lot of family that loved him."
Maiava wasn’t currently living with her because she says he was struggling with mental illness and was self-medicating. Leadbetter says she never saw anything but kindness from Maiava, who had a diagnosed schizoaffective disorder and a history of assault convictions.
She says he would do really well when he was on his medication but had stopped taking it and was currently living on the streets. She feels the city needs to do more enforcement of the area on 3rd Avenue between Pine and Pike Streets and provide health services to others struggling with mental illness and addiction don’t hang out there to buy and sell drugs.
"Counseling, help-- whether it’s medication, whether it’s needing somebody to talk to, whether it’s a rehabilitation of some sort, they need help," said Leadbetter.
She worries about other people in the same situation as Maiava who may fall victim to violence, especially with a killer on the loose who was willing to open fire in the middle of a Sunday afternoon.
"It makes it devastating because he shouldn’t be allowed to be out there walking around," said Leadbetter.
Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is offering a $1,000 cash reward for any information that leads to an arrest in the case. If you know the suspect’s name or have any photos or videos to share, text them through the P3 Tips App on your cell phone, go to www.P3Tips.com or call 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). You will remain anonymous.
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