Docs: Convicted felon used girlfriend's van to dump body after deadly shooting
SEATTLE - A 40-year-old suspect has been arrested after Seattle Police say a man was found dead in a wooded area in north Seattle on Wednesday morning.
Around 8 a.m., dispatchers received a call about a body found on College Way North, near North Seattle Community College. The man was found with obvious signs of trauma and was pronounced dead when officers arrived.
Just 22 hours earlier, police got a call about a shooting near Haller Lake. When officers arrived, they didn't find a victim but they did find evidence that a shooting took place.
After speaking with witnesses, officers determined that the man shot near Haller Lake was the same man found on College Way North, which is about two miles south.
According to court documents, the entire shooting was caught on surveillance footage from nearby businesses.
Video captures the suspect shooting the victim outside the suspect's RV, according to court documents. Video then shows the suspect dragging the victim's lifeless body into his girlfriend's gold van and driving away. Documents say the same van was seen where the victim's body was found.
The suspect was initially booked into King County Jail for assault and unlawful possession of a firearm. Prosecutors requested charges to be upped to murder and unlawful possession of a firearm after the victim was found.
According to court documents, the suspect is a four-time convicted felon and is prohibited from having a firearm.
If anyone has information about the shooting, call SPD’s Violent Crimes Tip Line at (206) 233-5000.
The investigation is ongoing.