Man faces 3 felony charges in Seattle carjacking, assault

Seattle carjacking suspect charged with murder

The man accused of carjacking and killing a beloved 80-year-old woman and her dog has officially been charged with murder.

SEATTLE - Jahmed Kamal Haynes, 48, has been charged with first-degree murder, second-degree assault, and first-degree animal cruelty in connection to a violent attack that led to the death of an 80-year-old woman and her dog.

According to court documents, on Tuesday morning, Haynes approached Ruth Dalton’s SUV in the Madison Valley neighborhood and forcibly removed her from the vehicle while armed with a knife. Witnesses reported that Dalton was shoved out of the car, which then dragged her before Haynes gained control and fled the scene.

Later that day, Seattle Police located the stolen SUV about 20 minutes away near the Brighton Playfield. Dalton's dog was also found stabbed to death and its body dumped in the park.

Haynes was arrested the day after the brutal attack. Police identified him as a suspect through a fingerprint left on Dalton's phone and witness descriptions.

Haynes, who has an extensive criminal record, including convictions for vehicular homicide, robbery, and custodial assault, faces the possibility of life in prison without parole. His previous convictions include:

Vehicular Homicide (1993): In this case, Haynes crashed his vehicle into several cars, killing another driver who was ejected more than 100 feet. He was found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.12% at the time of the accident. He only served 17 months.
Robbery and Vehicle Theft (1999): Haynes robbed a Renton Safeway using a BB gun and stole a vehicle, which he crashed while fleeing.
Custodial Assault and Escape (2003): While serving time for robbery, Haynes attacked two correctional officers with a sharpened metal object, leading to additional charges and a 15-year sentence.

Despite Haynes' extensive criminal history, which includes eight felony convictions, he has not faced significant legal repercussions in recent years. The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office confirmed that the last case involving Haynes in King County was over 25 years ago.

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has requested that Haynes be held without bail, a request that was granted by the court. Prosecutors argued that Haynes poses a significant danger to the community.

Concerns have been raised about why Haynes, with his substantial criminal record, was not previously subjected to Washington’s Three Strikes Law, which mandates life sentences without parole for repeat offenders of serious crimes.

Prosecutors said that according to state law, only certain violent felonies count as strikes under the Persistent Offender Accountability Act, and property crimes or less severe offenses do not contribute to a strike count.

Prosecutors clarified that sentencing decisions are ultimately made by judges, not by prosecutors. The severity of sentences is influenced by the specific details of each case and the offender’s criminal history.

For the charges Haynes faces, penalties could vary: first-degree murder is a Class A felony, second-degree assault is a Class B felony, and first-degree animal cruelty is a Class C felony.

Haynes will remain in jail until his next court appearance, scheduled for September 5, where he will enter his initial plea.