Residents mourn death of unhoused man after wave of violence hits their neighborhood
Neighbors remember unhoused man found dead
The man was found outside the Seattle Choruses building. which has recently seen several break ins and instances of vandalism.
SEATTLE - A Seattle neighborhood is on high alert after a wave of violence hit in their area.
A man was found dead outside the Seattle Chorus building in the Yesler Terrace neighborhood-- this incident comes on the heels of four break-ins on their property.
Neighbors say they knew him well as he's been living unhoused in the community for at least four years now. They describe him as friendly but quiet, and say he always returned for bedtime around sunset.
Tamas Farks, who lives nearby, says they only knew him as Joe. He's seen him every day since he's lived in an apartment complex in the area.
"Anytime you walk in this alleyway behind here, you can see him," Farks said.
A growing memorial now fills the space he called home every night, outside the Seattle Men & Women’s Choruses building in the First Hill neighborhood.
"It kept him out of the rain," Farks said. "Nobody bothered him there."
Flowers surround heartfelt messages saying, "In loving memory of our brother and uncle," and "You didn’t deserve your hard life or the way it ended," and "Rest in peace".
FOX 13 previously reported back-to-back break-ins, vandalism and thefts at the Choruses' building.
Executive Director Craig Coogan says this is a new level of violence. Of the 45 years the choral program has been in Seattle, they've spent the last 20 in that building. It was quiet until recently.
"We are frustrated, we are sad," Coogan said, "It's been difficult."
Craig says he got a call after 7 a.m. Saturday when a nearby homeowner called police saying a man in his 50s was dead. Reports say he was hit in the head.
"It was scary," Farks said. "Why would anyone do this?"
Detectives are investigating his death as a homicide. No suspect information has been made available and it's unclear what led up to his death.
"The neighbors in our community have felt compelled to memorialize and remember them is very comforting and reinforces that there is good here in Seattle-- it's not just violence," Coogan said.
If you have surveillance videos from early Saturday morning or any information that may help with the case, you’re urged to call SPD's Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000.
The man was identified as 68-year-old Paul Earnest Ewell. The medical examiner's office said his cause of death was multiple sharp force injuries to the head.
"Our hearts go out to the victim victims family and we continue to work with SPD to provide as much information as we can to try and stop this," Coogan said.