The Des Moines Police Department is conducting a homicide investigation of a deceased woman found in a triplex apartment in the 24000 block of 25th Ave South early Tuesday morning (Aug. 31).

Police say that the landlord of the complex, who lives in an adjacent unit, called 911 just after midnight, after hearing “thumping” sounds a short time earlier. The landlord also stated the dogs inside the unit were barking excessively, which was unusual.

Arriving patrol officers found the apartment locked, interior lights on, and the front window coverings closed. Officers received no response at the door. Utilizing a chair from the landlord, officers were able to peer into the apartment through a small window at the top of the front door. Officers saw the victim on the floor just inside the entry way and proceeded to enter. The victim was deceased and it was evident she had died from homicidal violence.

The victim is a white female, approximately 29-years old, and she is believed to be the tenant of the apartment. The Washington State Crime Lab, King County AFIS, and the King County Medical Examiner’s Office are assisting Des Moines Police Department detectives with the investigation of the crime scene.

The King County Medical Examiner’s Office has taken jurisdiction of the victim and will release her name once identification has been verified and family members have received notification.

The case is currently under investigation.

Here’s a map of the location:

View Larger Map

In loving memory of Lelant “Scotty” Scott, who passed away peacefully at home in Des Moines Washington on August 5, 2010, at the age of 80.

Friends and family are invited to a celebration of Scotty’s life at the Des Moines Activity/Senior Center on Sunday, August 29, from 2 to 5 p.m. There will be photos, refreshments, and a time to share your memories.

“Des Moines has lost a well-respected member of this community who was a joy to all who met him,” said Mayor Bob Sheckler. “Scotty loved Des Moines as well as his family and friends, and gave generously in his support of this city.”

Wayne Corey, president of the Des Moines Farmers Market, added, “Scotty was a wonderful person for the market and for the community, and we all miss him. He’s been a part of the market since day one and we’re all pretty sad about Scotty’s passing.”

Scotty was born on October 19, 1929, in Seattle, the first of two sons born to Albert and Agnes Scott. Scotty grew up on 8th Avenue South in northeast Burien. He attended Boulevard Park Elementary School.

At the age of 15, Scotty began working after school at Lloyd’s Diner, peeling huge tubs of potatoes in the restaurant basement. After graduating from Highline High School in 1948, Scotty began working as a lineman for Pacific Northwest Bell telephone, and was eventually joined there by his brother Jim and cousin Bud Holt.

During their teenage years the boys accompanied their parents to the Okanogan and Montana for deer hunting season. All were excellent riflemen and these trips became a family tradition for decades. Scotty also loved to bowl and bowled in leagues with the “Bell Boys” (Ma Bell), and for many years he served as League President.

Scotty married Joy Carlson in 1951, and later became the father of two children, Brian and Mary Scott. A military veteran, he served in the Korea War in the Army Signal Corps. Scotty was awarded a Bronze Star for his service.

The mid 1950s were the beginning of Scotty’s Mason Lake years. The extended family helped build his folk’s lake front cabin, “Scott’s Folly.” Scotty was a very good craftsman and built two hydroplanes which he raced on the lake. A generation of kids, cousins and friends learned to water ski and spent many a memorable weekend there throughout the years.

In 1969, Scotty met Carmen Bonathan and they were married on December 8, 1973, blending their two families together. He brought with him his warmth, humor and unsurpassed kindness towards everyone. Scotty and Carmen have each been Des Moines residents for 50 years and actively involved in supporting the community. Both loved to travel and have many photos of their adventures together.

As with life, Scotty loved his grandchildren and attended just about every ball game or event his children or grandchildren were a part of. He always saw the good in people and enjoyed lifelong friendships with co-workers and fellow softball players, bowlers, neighbors, and friends.

Scotty’s family, friends, and the community have lost a beloved father, grandfather, uncle, and Carmen’s husband and best friend. He is survived by:

• Loving wife, Carmen Scott
• Son Brian C. Scott (Mary Jo) and Grandson Christopher Scott; Grandson Taylor Scott, deceased
• Daughter Mary Scott Hobday (Brent) and Grandchildren Lauren, Bryce and Reece Hobday
• Son David Bonathan (Stacie) and Grandson Jordan Bonathan
• Daughter Carol Bonathan Anderson (Tracy)
• Daughter Nancy Bonathan Spickler and Grandson Jeff Spickler
• Niece Sheila Leaf Doane (Richard) and children Braden and Erika Doane
• Brother James A. Scott (Lois) and their daughters Sandi and Sherry and their families.
• Sister-in-law Margaret Leaf
• Many cherished friends, co-workers and fellow sports team members

In lieu of flowers please consider monetary donation or one of personal time to:

• Des Moines Legacy Foundation: www.desmoineslegacy.org
• Des Moines Waterfront Farmers Market: www.dmfm.org

The Des Moines Activity/Senior Center is located at 2045 S. 216th St., just east of the post office and a few blocks west of Pacific Highway South.

The King County Sheriff’s Department says that a 23 year-old Des Moines man was killed this morning when his car left the roadway and struck a tree in White Center early Thursday morning (June 10).

He died shortly after he was taken to Harborview Medical Center.

The incident happened about 1:15am, and witnesses reported seeing the man leave the Mt. View Elementary School parking lot at a high rate of speed. The school is located in White Center at SW 108th and 12th Ave SW.

When the vehicle got to the 800 block of SW 108th it crossed over into the westbound lane, where it struck a raised curb and a large tree. The collision caused massive damage to the left front of the car, a 1995 Ford Explorer.

No other vehicles were involved in the collision, and the man’s identity has not yet been released.

Detectives believe alcohol was a contributing factor.

Free skiing professional Arne Backstrom, 29, a Normandy Park native and frequent skier at Crystal Mountain, has apparently been killed after a big-mountain fall in Peru.

According to a report on www.freeskier.com, the accident occurred Thursday (June 3) on Pisco Mountain in the Cordillera Blanca region of Peru, South America.

According to an email from his friend Josh Weiner, Arne grew up in Normandy Park, and attended Marvista Elementary and then Sylvester Middle School. He graduated from Highline High School in 1999 and then went on to attend Whitman College in Walla Walla.

Josh says that Arne also worked at the Normandy Park Swim Club in the summers was an outstanding athlete who swam for the same pool and at Highline.

He was also apparently an Eagle Scout with troop 392 at John Knox Presbyterian Church.

“Too much to mention at once, he was an amazing guy,” Josh added in an email.

Arne’s sister, Ingrid, is considered by many to be the world’s best women’s free skier. His brother, Ralph, is a professional snowboarder.

The following excerpts are from Arne Backstrom’s biography at www.patagonia.com:

During my earlier ski days, my family rolled up to the mountains in a rusty brown 1954 GMC bookmobile. It was a grotesque machine in both looks and mechanics, but every Friday night from December to April, that neurotic old vehicle delivered our family of five the 100 miles from Seattle to Crystal Mountain and provided lodging for the weekend. My sister and brother and I would sit at the table/bed in the back and Mom gripped the dash from the co-pilot position while Dad worked the shifter and struggled to manage 26,000 lbs of momentum with less than adequate brakes. It was an eyesore, scary to drive, cold, and smelled funny, but when it snowed two feet we laughed and said it was paradise. It wasn’t luxury living, but it brought the family together, and we skied hard. I probably wouldn’t have wished it back then, but those days seem to have set the tone for my life thus far, at least in spirit. I still do whatever it takes to ski as much as I can.

After some years of tearing around the mountain finding secret trails and powder stashes, I began racing at 11. It was the logical next step and provided speed and adrenaline and taught me to push the limits. I enjoyed the competition, and the discipline was good, but I was still out freeskiing as much as possible, and I poached the “snowboard park” on occasion, too. I ski raced through college, and then with some hard-earned summer cash, took off to Europe and succeeded in spending a serious amount of time on snow, racking up lots of vertical in big terrain. Since then, the thought of a “real” job has been less and less attractive, and when winter comes around I put everything else aside.

Here’s a behind-the-scenes video of Arne from a Warren Miller film:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MWgnwxzpLc[/youtube]

Here’s one of Arne shot in Revelstoke in January:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aC_8_Mxkyu4[/youtube]

Some links of interest:

• Interesting story on the Backstrom family here.
• Arne had a blog here.
• Arne’s Facebook page is here.
• Facebook tribute page is here.

Our condolences go out to Arne’s family and friends.

Sadly, a high-speed, single-car crash took the life of a young adult man in Des Moines Thursday night (June 3) at 10:20pm, when a black 1992 Honda Accord crashed through a guardrail on Marine View Drive near S. 216th, hit a tree and then came to rest about 40-50 feet in a wooded ravine.

According to Des Moines Police, the deceased driver was the only occupant in the vehicle.

Police reports say that a witness called “911” and reported seeing the car westbound on S. 216th at a high rate of speed around 10:20pm, then crashed through a guardrail.

The first arriving officer was on scene approximately one minute after receiving the 911 dispatch call. He was able to make his way down to the vehicle, where he discovered the deceased driver. As a precaution, several members of South King Fire and Rescue assisted in a thorough search of the area for possible passengers. The search included the use of a thermal imaging device. The Washington State Patrol is assisting in the investigation.

Police say that the driver appears to be a young adult male. His identity has not yet been released.

Story & Photos by Scott Schaefer

When a spouse dies, the surviving partner is called a “widow” or “widower.”

But what can one possibly call a parent whose young child dies a terrible, tragic death?

The grief one must feel when ones’ own child dies tragically is so incredibly severe there really can be no name for it, so we’ll just leave it as that – unnameable.

Such is the case with Dermot Owens, longtime Manager and bartender at Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub in Burien. His grief is most certainly unnameable now, as he lost his five-year old son Shea in a tragic accident when he was run over by Dermot’s SUV at their home in Newcastle last Friday (April 16).

“What a great Father he was,” said Mick Purdy, co-owner of Mick Kelly’s, and Dermot’s boss. “We all saw Shea grow up right here, running around the place. To have this tragedy happen is just unbelievable. We’re all in a state of shock…”

UPDATE: There will be a benefit concert for Dermot at Mick Kelly’s on Thursday, May 6th starting at 6:00pm, with live music and a raffle to raise money so Dermot can take time to be with his friends and family.

The Burien branch of Key Bank (655 Southwest 152nd Street • 206-241-9348) has set up an account called “The Little Shea Memorial Fund” where people can donate to help fund Shea’s funeral, which will be held this Thursday (April 22) at 11am at St. Mary’s Church (611 20th Avenue South, Seattle), with a wake afterwards at the Glen Acres Golf Course (call Mick Kelly’s for more details: 206-246-2473).

Also, here are other ways to help Dermot and his family out:

• Donate using PayPal: Click here to donate directly to the memorial fund online.

You can also make a cash or check donation in person at:

• Mick Kelly’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in Burien
• Mick Kelly’s at Full Throttle Bar & Grill in Renton
• A Terrible Beauty Irish Pub in Renton
• The Celtic Swell Pub & Restaurant on Alki in West Seattle

Donations will be used to pay for Shea’s service as well as for the Father’s time off from work. You can donate at any Key Bank location.

Here’s a Photo Slideshow of the memorial by Scott Schaefer (be sure your speakers are turned on):

Click to Play Scott Schaefer’s SoundSlideshow

The family of Mark Ebinger (pictured, left), 25, who was stabbed to death outside Good Time Ernie’s in Burien last November, has increased the reward offered to $10,000 in hopes of generating tips that will lead to an arrest.

Mark and his brother Peter, 24, were attacked outside the Burien bar on the morning of November 12, 2009. Mark died from stab wounds at the scene. Peter was stabbed numerous times, but survived.

Detectives believe there were several witnesses to the attack, and these witnesses might have information that could solve the case.

The homicide occurred outside Good Time Ernie’s Pub, located at 15747 Ambaum Blvd SW in Burien.

As our sister website The B-Town Blog reported on Dec. 28, 2009:

Peter recalled the attack, saying that a “few words were spoken to someone who was with us in the bar, and I told Mark we should leave…and as we left a group of guys came out the other door, a bottle was thrown at us, then they came at us with knives.”

“I was just scared, and was trying to get away,” Peter said. He also added that Mark was “kind of far away” from him in the parking lot at the time of the attack.

The Ebinger Family at the Dec. 28th press conference.

Peter also added that “someone else had words with one of the guys in the other group…” and he had no idea what was said, but is certain that the attacker(s) were in that group.

Once outside, “one guy came up in my face and tried to take a swing at me and another guy hit me from behind,” Peter continued. “I got stabbed probably six or seven times in the back…”

Peter said he’s “not planning on going back” to Goodtime Ernie’s anytime soon, “and no one I know is going back…”

Despite numerous rumors, there is no definite word on whether the attackers are part of a gang.

Mark Ebinger's brother Peter was also stabbed, but survived.

“We’re all very upset and angry, and well, you can imagine…”

Mark worked at a printing press and mostly did manual labor.

Regarding Mark’s death, Peter said: “It happened real fast and he didn’t feel much pain…”

The investigation is still ongoing.

“We know that someone out there knows something, saw something, or has heard something,” said Jim Laing. “…and that information might seem insignificant to them but it could be the information that cracks this case and we’re appealing to anyone who has any information to come forward.”

Laing continued: “No homicide case is ever closed until it’s closed, and this will remain open until it’s solved.”

On The B-Town Blog’s original Nov. 12th report, there are now 105 Comments, which make for some very interesting reading – see it here – many comments are in scolding tones to those who were there that night but have refused to come forward to identify the suspect(s). Perhaps this higher reward will change that?

Crimestoppers is also offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information on the case.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours), or 9-1-1.

Lovelychild Manuel of Des Moines was sentenced Friday (Jan. 8th) to eight years in prison for the deadly shooting of Devon Guidry after a book signing in Tukwila in April, 2008.

Manuel pleaded guilty to killing Guidry and wounding Paul Dervin after a party for two authors of a book about rapper Dr. Dre in the parking lot of the Gordon’s On The Green restaurant, which is located at Foster Golf Links in Tukwila.

Witnesses told police that Manuel shot Guidry in the back of the head after an argument, then fled in an SUV driven from the scene by another man.

Following the shooting, police received several tips that Manuel had been involved in the shooting and was planning to leave the state. Officers arrested him following a traffic stop in SeaTac. Manuel admitted to being at the restaurant during the party, but initially denied any involvement in the shootings.

At first charged with second-degree murder, Manuel pleaded guilty to reduced charges of second-degree manslaughter and second-degree assault. Had he been convicted as initially charged, he would likely have faced more than 20 years in prison.

Manuel is currently jailed at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, pending transfer to the Department of Corrections.

According to KING-TV, Des Moines Police are investigating the discovery of a 22-year old Tukwila man’s body after it was found near a Des Moines gas station on Pacific Highway South.

According to reports, a pedestrian first spotted the body face down on some gravel between a wall and a carwash at a Shell station located in the 23000 block of Pacific Highway South near Kent-Des Moines Road.

Police have questioned the clerk, and have also interviewed people in the surrounding area. They will also be reviewing footage from numerous surveillance as well as red light cameras in the neighborhood.

The victim’s identity has not yet been released, although sources say he was a Tukwila resident.

UPDATE 1/4/10: Here’s a video courtesy Q13 News:

Story & Photos by Scott Schaefer

It must’ve been the absolute toughest Christmas ever for the Ebinger family of Burien, as they had to celebrate without their son Mark, 25, who was fatally stabbed outside Goodtime Ernie’s Nov. 12th.

On Monday (Dec. 28th), the family held a press conference at the King County Sheriff’s office in downtown Seattle, where they offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect(s) in the fatal stabbing.

Acting Public Information Officer Jim Laing spoke, along with Mark’s brother Peter (who was also stabbed), 24, as his distraught parents, sister and girlfriend sat nearby, solemnly holding back tears; here’s the raw MP3 of the conference:

Peter recalled the attack, saying that a “few words were spoken to someone who was with us in the bar, and I told Mark we should leave…and as we left a group of guys came out the other door, a bottle was thrown at us, then they came at us with knives.”

“I was just scared, and was trying to get away,” Peter said. He also added that Mark was “kind of far away” from him in the parking lot at the time of the attack.

Peter also added that “someone else had words with one of the guys in the other group…” and he had no idea what was said, but is certain that the attacker(s) were in that group.

Once outside, “one guy came up in my face and tried to take a swing at me and another guy hit me from behind,” Peter continued. “I got stabbed probably six or seven times in the back…”

Peter said he’s “not planning on going back” to Goodtime Ernie’s anytime soon, “and no one I know is going back…”

Despite numerous rumors, there is no definite word on whether the attackers are part of a gang.

“We’re all very upset and angry, and well, you can imagine…”

Mark worked at a printing press and mostly did manual labor.

Regarding Mark’s death, Peter said: “It happened real fast and he didn’t feel much pain…”

The investigation is still ongoing.

“We know that someone out there knows something, saw something, or has heard something,” said Jim Laing. “…and that information might seem insignificant to them but it could be the information that cracks this case and we’re appealing to anyone who has any information to come forward.”

Laing continued: “No homicide case is ever closed until it’s closed, and this will remain open until it’s solved.”

If anyone has any information on this case, they should call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-274-6313.

$1,000 of the reward money comes from Crimestoppers, and $4,000 from the Ebinger family.

Read our previous coverage of this tragic incident here.

According to The Seattle Times, a Des Moines Police Officer shot and killed a man around 3pm Saturday afternoon (Dec. 19th) in the 27200 block of Pacific Highway South.

The incident happened during an apparent domestic violence call just inside city limits. According to reports, the officer fired an unknown number of shots during a pursuit, striking the victim on the Federal Way side of 272nd.

Despite attempts at CPR, the man died on the scene.

Since the shooting occurred on the Federal Way side, Federal Way Police will be handling the investigation.

The officer, who has not been identified, was uninjured.

A memorial for Luke T. Gullberg,  the 26-year old Des Moines man who was killed on Oregon’s Mount Hood last week, will be this Sunday, Dec. 20th from 3pm to 6pm at Pacific Middle School, located at 22705 24th Avenue South.

Luke died on Saturday, Dec. 12th while climbing Mt. Hood with Anthony Vietti and Katie Nolan, who are still missing. His body was found on a glacier at 9,000 feet by searchers. Reports are that Luke may have fallen and experienced some trauma, then crawled a couple hundred yards before dying of hypothermia.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Memorial for Luke T. Gullberg

WHEN: Sunday, Dec. 20th from 3-6pm

WHERE: Pacific Middle School, located at 22705 24th Avenue South in Des Moines.

INFO/RSVP: Here are some links to various pages created in Luke’s honor:

• Facebook tribute page
• Facebook page on the Mermorial here where you can RSVP and/or leave comments
• Tribute page from fellow climber Richard Lutz
  

And here’s a video of a press conference held at Mt. Hood about the incident:

The Seattle Times is reporting that the body of a climber found Saturday on Oregon’s Mount Hood was identified as 26-year-old Luke T. Gullberg of Des Moines.

Gulberg’s body was found around 10am on the Reid Glacier, at about the 9,000-foot level.

Reports are that weather conditions on the mountain are expected to improve, and will hopefully allow rescue personnel greater searching capabilities to find two other missing climbers.

“All three of these climbers were well equipped and experienced,” said Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Detective Jim Strovink.

According to the Times:

Two other climbers were still missing after a daylong search.

The remaining climbers still missing were identified as 24-year-old Anthony Vietti of Longview, Wash., and 29-year-old Katti Nolan of Portland.

Strovink said all three climbers were experienced and well-equipped.

A search is set to resume shortly after dawn on Sunday for Vietti and Nolan. The trio left Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood about 1 a.m. Friday and were reported missing when they failed to return Friday afternoon.

Our own research reveals a Des Moines-based Luke Gullberg on MySpace (“climb4life”) as well as Facebook:

Helen Jensen, 95, was found dead early Tuesday morning (Dec. 8th) after wandering away in her wheelchair from the Wesley Homes Health Care Center in Des Moines Monday night.

According to KING-TV, Jensen went missing from Wesley Homes Monday night around 11:45pm. Staff apparently did not call police until about 2:30am. After police searched for her for about 45 minutes, they found her deceased body on the ground about 100 yards away at 1000 South 216th Street.

Police reviewed video surveillance tapes and saw that Jensen had left the nursing home in her wheelchair around 11:45pm.

The King County medical examiner has not yet determined Jensen’s cause of death, but temperatures have been below freezing for the last several nights, raising the possibility that Jensen died of exposure.

Here’s a video report from KING-TV:

A special “Tip-A-Cop” fundraiser is being held by the Tukwila Police Department this Friday night, Dec. 4th, to help raise money for the families of the Lakewood Police Officers killed last Sunday (Nov. 29th).

The fundraiser will be just down the hill at the Claim Jumper Restaurant (located at 5901 S. 180th Street in Tukwila), beginning at 4pm, and all donations collected between 4-11pm will go to a trust established for the families of fallen Lakewood Police Officers Mark Renninger, Tina Griswold, Greg Richards and Ronnie Owens, who were all shot and killed at a coffee shop in Lakewood this past Sunday.

Officer Renninger served eight years on the Tukwila Police Department, and was most recently a member of the Lakewood P.D. and SWAT team. He is survived by his wife and three children.

“Tip-A-Cop” is a great, fun fundraiser, where, for a small donation, you can pay to have a friend or family member “arrested” and taken out of the restaurant by uniformed cops. It’s all in fun, for a great cause, and from our own previous experience it provides a lot of laughs as well as a great way to meet and learn about local law enforcement.

Other participants will include Valley SWAT, Tukwila Fire Department and Les Schwab.

On Tuesday (Nov. 17th), Leemah Carneh, the man accused of murdering an elderly couple and two teens at a Des Moines home in 2001, pleaded guilty to murder.

Carneh, 28, pleaded guilty to four counts of aggravated first-degree murder with a firearm for the brutal killings. These charges carry a mandatory life sentence, which King County Superior Court Judge Palmer Robinson imposed following the plea.

Carneh, who was 19 at the time, is accused of killing Richard and Jane Larson, 63 and 64, their grandson Taelor Marks, 17, and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Josie Peterson, in the Larsons’ home in March 2001. Peterson was a cheerleader at Evergreen High School when she was killed.

As we reported previously, Judge Robinson, following a competency hearing that took place over several weeks, ruled in August that Carneh was mentally fit to stand trial. He was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic not long after his arrest.

Carneh was arraigned on the four counts of aggravated first-degree murder immediately following Robinson’s ruling.

According to police investigators, Carneh allegedly gunned down Marks’ grandparents, hid their bodies, then waited inside the house for Peterson and Marks and brutally beat them in an ambush when they came home. King County prosecutors allege that Carneh was obsessed with Peterson, who didn’t know him.

He was arrested at his home two days after the killings. When police searched Carneh’s house after the killings they found a photo of Peterson, a ring belonging to Marks, luggage with the Larson’s name on it, a stereo from Marks’ car, a handgun – and bloody clothes.

Despite this evidence, criminal proceedings were delayed while Carneh was treated for his mental condition at Western State Hospital. On several occasions, he was returned to the King County Jail only to be sent back to the hospital when it was determined he still was not mentally competent to participate in his defense.

After prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty, Carneh will now face life in prison without the possibility of parole. In late 2005, he received a civil commitment to Western State when another superior court judge ruled he still was not competent to stand trial but under state law no longer could be held on the criminal charges.

One year later, prosecutors were notified by officials at Western State that Carneh’s mental condition has improved to the point that he no longer needed constant supervision. They also said he was eligible to earn permission to leave the hospital grounds. At that point, prosecutors re-filed the murder charges and requested a new competency hearing for Carneh. But it took another two and a half years with a new treatment regime before he was finally found fit to stand trial.

Shortly before the original murder charges against Carneh were dismissed, Taelor’s mother Lorraine Marks said, “It’s unbelievable to me. He wrote the book on how to commit murder and get away with it…. I’m furious with the system.”

When the charges against Mr. Carneh were dismissed in 2005 and he was sent from the King County Jail back to the mental treatment facility, prosecutors said it was unlikely, even if he never went to trial for the murders, that he ever would ever be free again.

But late last year, prosecutors learned the defendant had made enough improvement to be unsupervised and perhaps even leave the grounds of the institution.

 At that point, they re-filed the charges of aggravated first-degree murder against him.

 Yet now, he again has been found mentally unfit. Western State staff believe additional treatment alternatives can help Mr. Carneh become competent so he finally can stand trial.

Area native and King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg announced Thursday (Nov. 12th) that Christopher John Monfort, 41, will face charges of aggravated first-degree murder charges for the killing of Seattle Police Officer Timothy Brenton, along with three counts of attempted first-degree murder for allegedly trying to kill his partner, aiming a gun at police, as well as first-degree arson charges for trying to kill officers by firebombing police vehicles at a city maintenance yard.

Along with that litany of charges, it’s also probable that Satterberg will pursue the death penalty for Monfort, as aggravated first-degree murder of a police officer is punishable by one of two sentences in Washington — life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

As we previously reported, Monfort was shot last Friday (Nov. 6th) outside his Tukwila apartment after being approached by police about his car, which matched a vehicle seen near the scene of Brenton’s death on Halloween night.

After aiming a malfunctioning handgun at police, Monfort was shot on the scene and is still in custody at Harborview Medical Center. It was also revealed by his family today that he is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the shooting.

According to Seattle Police documents, Monfort’s apartment had a cache of weapons, including bomb-making materials. He is also believed to have “worked alone” in the fatal shooting of Officer Brenton, and has been called a “lone terrorist” in this case. Detectives have recovered DNA evidence from both the arson scene at the city maintenance facility and the scene of Officer Brenton’s murder directly tying him to both incidents.

Detectives also recovered a .223 caliber rifle from Monfort’s apartment, and a ballistics test identified it as the firearm used in Officer Brenton’s murder.

Also recovered from Monfort’s apartment was a considerable amount of bomb-making material and evidence that indicates that the type of explosive devices Monfort was in the process of making or had made were even more lethal than the ones used in the Oct. 22nd arson.

According to police, “he clearly was intending to inflict even more destruction in his next criminal attack.”

Further examination of the explosive devices used in the arson and of the devices found in his apartment indicate that Monfort was also intending to harm first responders to the scene, such as police and fire department personnel.

Monfort once attended Highline Community College in Des Moines, where he became involved in student government and was elected vice president of legislation.

The Oct. 23, 2003, edition of HCC’s student newspaper The Thunderword describes how Monfort ran for student senate and spoke at a candidates’ forum, where he was quoted as saying:

“Too often, too many of us walk around with our head in the clouds.”

According to the article, Monfort:

“…believes he is unique, because he is upset about our current state of government and actually wants to do something about it. … The student body has been cheated and lied to by the Bush Administration,” said Monfort. He plans on putting together a petition to bring our soldiers home.”

Monfort was also quoted as saying: “Our freedom is under attack.“

Story & Photos by Scott Schaefer

Welcome to Dia de las Muertes de Des Moines – The Waterland Blog’s “Day of the Dead” tribute to the area’s earliest, and sadly, mostly forgotten settlers, who are buried in a place most residents don’t even know exists.

This is the story of the area’s oldest graveyard, a private, historic and rundown place on South 200th called Hillgrove Cemetery.

You won’t find Hillgrove on many maps, because, like its 360 residents, it’s no longer living. It’s private, it’s fenced off, yet once you look at the chain link barrier and barbed wire, it’s obvious that people find ways to get in to do whatever living people do in graveyards full of dead strangers.

We too found our way into Hillgrove recently (how could we not this time of year?), and despite forgetting to wear boots (our Chuck Taylors got soaked but oddly, we didn’t care) yet managing to be very careful and respectful, we took numerous photographs, which we built into a “Sound Slideshow” to a public domain song from 1910, the era when this site was in its heyday.

But before we present our photographic and audio tribute, we’d like to share our personal observations of Hillgrove:

It was a sad place, and not just because it was full of dead bodies – it’s in disrepair, with missing, crooked and broken tombstones, years of neglect and evidence of vandalism.

Historic, old graves with unique stone markers ranging from the earliest burial (at least that we saw) in 1890 to the most recent in 2005. Some tombstones have been restored, while many are clearly without any markings (several we discovered only by stepping into indentations in the grass).

Here’s some info on it courtesy Highline Historical Society Executive Director Cyndi Upthegrove:

Hillgrove Cemetery is owned by the Hillgrove Cemetery Association, comprised of the remaining families that own the property. I don’t believe anyone famous is buried there, but a large number of local pioneer families are. It is in disrepair because the people that remain of those families are quite elderly and cannot physically maintain it themselves, and the city of SeaTac and the Port won’t maintain it because it isn’t theirs. SeaTac has occasionally mowed for them and helped to build a retaining wall at the left entrance when the bank slumped one time and remains started spilling out.

From what I understand, there are about 360 souls there. They consist of veterans from both the North and the South from the Civil War, the Spanish American War, both WWI and WWII, Korea and the first Iraq War. Their extended families are also buried there.

About 12 years ago a teacher at Highline HS teaching at-risk students taught a local history class and they really responded to it. These were very bright students “at risk” of dropping out. So she took them over to the cemetery to show it to them and they told her, “We know about this place. We come over here to drink.” Together with her, the Society acquired a grant to pay for her project. So she got them to clean it up as a class project. They dug up buried headstones, mowed, learned about the people buried there, mapped it and tended it for a couple of years. After they had invested so much time and care into it, they wouldn’t let anyone else go in there and mess with it.

The most recent, from 2005.

Then they graduated and moved on, and she quit teaching that class and things kind of reverted to how they were. We have retained some of the records and the Association has the rest.

Recently a paranormal investigation group contacted me to see if they could go in and look for ghosts. I referred them to the Association and I think they did some kind of investigation there, but we weren’t given their results. Occasionally a Boy Scout will work there building benches, or mowing and grooming the place as an Eagle Scout project.

We did several bus tours of “The historic sites of Highline” a few years ago and Hillgrove was a stop on the tour. People found it very interesting. I have always wished that we could engage the various cities and veterans groups to hold their Memorial and Veteran’s Day commemorations there rather than in schools and community centers, but other heads prevail.

I have always wished I had the funding for the Society to take care of the place for the community, but I don’t.

Walking around a decaying graveyard isn’t really creepy, or new to us – in college we used to visit one that was near our house, and this Reporter has always been fascinated with the dead and how the living treat them. Especially Hispanic culture and their “Day of the Dead” festivities, which involve spending the night in graveyards, setting up elaborate altars, offering food, wearing bizarre (and to me, really cool) costumes, and believing that, for one night on Nov. 2nd, their dearly departed dead relatives and loved ones come back and visit with them.

With those sentiments in mind, here’s our “SoundSlideshow” tribute to Hillgrove Cemetery and the historic people who are buried there, may they Rest In Peace:

Click to Play Scott Schaefer’s SoundSlideshow

According to the King County Sheriff’s Department, a fiery car crash early Wednesday morning (Sept. 23rd) claimed the lives of three people in SeaTac when the car they were in ran off the road, slammed into a building and burst into flames.

The deadly accident occurred around 3:30am, along 8th Ave South by South 192nd Street near Sea-Tac Airport (see map below), according to Sgt. John Urquhart. The three victims were the only occupants in the car, and likely won’t be identified for another day or two.

According to Urquhart, speed was a factor in the fatal crash.

The car was apparently driving south at high speeds on 8th Ave South near South 192nd when it crossed the center line, hit a support cable next to a utility pole, careened through some brush, struck a tree and then a building, where it caught fire and burned, killing the occupants inside, Urquhart said.

Urquhart added that there was no evidence yet that the crash was the result of street racing, which has been a problem in the area recently.

Here’s a photo taken by Janet Grella Wednesday afternoon of flowers placed where the accident occurred:

View Larger Map

According to The Wenatchee World, Kino Michael Gomez, 51, who was charged with first-degree murder in the July shooting of sound engineer and Des Moines native Tom Pfaeffle, has fled and is being sought by police.

According to the report, Gomez, of Seattle, wrote his family a “good-bye” letter, telling them he was taking a “one-way trip to the mountains.”

Gomez is charged in the shooting death of Pfaeffle, 49, at a Twisp hotel when Pfaeffle tried using his card key on the wrong room. Gomez fired two rounds through the door, killing Pfaeffle.

Here’s a quote from Gomez “good-bye” letter (see below for a scan of it):

“The media, the bloggers, the police, the justice system, none of whom witnessed the alleged crime, already hung me. … Well, just for spite, I shall deprive society of the circus it so bloody craves — the bearded lady quit!”

According to the World:

Twisp Police Chief Rick Balam said law enforcement agencies across the country have been notified, and are warned that he could be armed and dangerous. Gomez’s letter says he took his guns, and adds, “It will be quick and painless. Let no one get in my way — I will not be very kind. Despair has now changed to anger.”

Gomez was scheduled to attend a hearing in Okanogan County Superior Court tomorrow (Thursday, Sept. 17th).

Here’s a copy of the “good-bye” letter:

Read the full story here.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Memorial Service For Des Moines Native Tom Pfaeffle Is Aug. 13th
• Murdered Sound Engineer Tom Pfaeffle Was A Des Moines Native

After more than eight years, Leemah Carneh appears headed for trial on four counts of aggravated first-degree murder in one of the most brutal crimes ever in Des Moines.

Carneh, who was 19 at the time, is accused of killing Richard and Jane Larson, 63 and 64, their grandson Taelor Marks, 17, and his 17-year-old girlfriend, Josie Peterson, in the Larsons’ home in March 2001. Peterson was a cheerleader at Evergreen High School when she was killed.

King County Superior Court Judge Palmer Robinson, following a competency hearing that took place over several weeks, ruled that Carneh is mentally fit to stand trial. He was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic not long after his arrest.

Carneh was arraigned on the four counts of aggravated first-degree murder immediately following Robinson’s ruling.

According to police investigators, Carneh allegedly gunned down Marks’ grandparents, hid their bodies, then waited inside the house for Peterson and Marks and brutally beat them in an ambush when they came home. King County prosecutors allege that Carneh was obsessed with Peterson, who didn’t know him.

He was arrested at his home two days after the killings. When police searched Carneh’s house after the killings they found a photo of Peterson, a ring belonging to Marks, luggage with the Larson’s name on it, a stereo from Marks’ car, a handgun – and bloody clothes.

Despite this evidence, criminal proceedings were delayed while Carneh was treated for his mental condition at Western State Hospital. On several occasions, he was returned to the King County Jail only to be sent back to the hospital when it was determined he still was not mentally competent to participate in his defense.

If convicted, Carneh will face life in prison without the possibility of parole. King County prosecutors decided earlier not to seek the death penalty.

In late 2005, he received a civil commitment to Western State when another superior court judge ruled he still was not competent to stand trial but under state law no longer could be held on the criminal charges.

One year later, prosecutors were notified by officials at Western State that Carneh’s mental condition has improved to the point that he no longer needed constant supervision. They also said he was eligible to earn permission to leave the hospital grounds. At that point, prosecutors re-filed the murder charges and requested a new competency hearing for Carneh. But it took another two and a half years with a new treatment regime before he was finally found fit to stand trial.

No date for his trial has been set. 

Shortly before the original murder charges against Carneh were dismissed, Taelor’s mother Lorraine Marks said, “It’s unbelievable to me. He wrote the book on how to commit murder and get away with it…. I’m furious with the system.”

When the charges against Mr. Carneh were dismissed in 2005 and he was sent from the King County Jail back to the mental treatment facility, prosecutors said it was unlikely, even if he never went to trial for the murders, that he ever would be free again.

But late last year, prosecutors learned the defendant had made enough improvement to be unsupervised and perhaps even leave the grounds of the institution.

 At that point, they re-filed the charges of aggravated first-degree murder against him.

 Yet now, he again has been found mentally unfit. Western State staff believe additional treatment alternatives can help Mr. Carneh become competent so he finally can stand trial.

And once again, his defense attorney is trying to block that move since previous attempts at treatment have failed.

Des Moines native Tom Pfaeffle, who was tragically shot and killed in July, will be memorialized on the evening of Thursday, August 13th at The Moore Theater in Seattle.

Doors will open at 5pm, and everyone is welcome.

Pfaeffle, an acclaimed 30-year veteran sound engineer, worked with bands like Nirvana, The Black Crowes, Aerosmith, Heart and many others.

According to a website set up as a tribute:

We’ll be celebrating the night in the only way Tom would’ve wanted. With great stories, music & friends

All proceeds from the evening will go to the Pfaeffle family. There will be no ticketing, we ask that you donate whatever you can.

We’d like to thank The Seattle Theater Group, Triamp Group and The Art Institute of Seattle for their generosity.

For those of you who are unable to attend, please feel free to use this site as a place to share memories, stories, songs and anything else you’d like to share in remembering Tom, his life and his work.

The site also gives this recap of Tom’s life:

On Friday, July 17th, a loving wife lost her husband, a family lost their father, students lost their teacher and friends lost a smiling face they could always count on. We all lost something that this world has far too few of… a generous, caring, sincere, heartfelt person who gave all he could to those who became a part of his life.

Tom was a great man to many people for many different reasons. We’ve put up this website to honor the memories we have of him and to come together to celebrate his life and contributions to our collective successes, creativity and happiness.

Anyone who knew Tom knew that the single most important part of his life was his family. A trust has been set up in their name to help provide some support. We ask that you give what you can.

Tom’s generosity knew no limits. This is our chance to show that not only was Tom a generous person but he knew how to surround himself with people of equal character and generosity.

We hope the trust not only provides the family with support now but will continue to provide for them in the future.

Here’s a poster with more info:

On Friday (July 24th), the King County Sheriff’s Department released the surveillance photo below of the car driven by suspects in the June 24th shooting that left an 18 year-old man dead in SeaTac:

The vehicle is thought to be a white BMW 5 series or 7 series with a sunroof.

The photo was taken by a nearby security camera just moments after the shooting.

The incident occurred around 11:30pm, and the victim was in the backseat of a car that was southbound on Military Road South. Four friends were with him. A second vehicle (a white BMW) began following them, but turned off at South 140th. As it did, several gunshots were fired and the man was hit.

The men drove straight to Highline Hospital and the victim collapsed in the entrance to the Emergency Room. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.

The dead man is from California and was in the area visiting relatives.

If anyone recognizes the vehicle or has information on the shooting they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office immediately at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 9-1-1.

by Janet Grella

By now many of our Readers have heard about the death of Tom Pfaeffle, a noted sound engineer who was recently killed in Twisp, when he apparently put his hotel room key into the wrong door then was shot.

But what you may not know is that Tom was born and raised right here in Des Moines. He continued to live in his family home here until he and his family needed more room for the kids and sound studio and moved to Black Diamond where he opened “The Tank Studios.” This was about five years ago.

The Waterland Blog first learned about the shooting death of this music industry sound man extraordinaire when Matt Pina and his wife stopped by our booth at the Des Moines Farmers Market last Saturday. Matt alerted us to the news, and was visibly shaken.

At that point we Googled Pfaeffle’s name, and there was no information yet about his death since it had happened just the night before. Now there’s numerous sites reporting his death and paying homage to him, remembering him as the great sound guy that he was. Pfaeffle, a 30-year veterean, worked as a sound engineer with these bands:

• Nirvana
• The Black Crowes
• Great White
• Heart
• Queensryche
• Scorpions
• UB40
• Aerosmith
• Alice Cooper
• Rodney Crowell
• B.B. King
• and “countless others”
  

But what mainstream media and the internet aren’t saying is that Tom Pfaeffle was born and raised in Des Moines.

His childhood friend Aaron DeAnda remembers him with the Waterland Blog:

Tom and I first met in our neighborhood Delrose Manor in Des Moines near Highline Community College. He was a few years younger than me. We had such good times as kids. His dad is gone now, and his mother, Charlotte, lives in Arizona. Tom was an only child, so he considered all the neighborhood guys his brothers. We played a lot of football in the streets. Tom was in our band, “Session,” in high school. Tom played guitar and was the sound man. He wanted to do sound as long as I can remember. He was very focused. Of all of us he was the only one to make a living in music. He had a good ear for sound…a critical ear.

He was passionate about music and he reached out to everyone. He considered everyone ‘family’. We’d still get together for sushi or at 909 in Burien listening to live music.

Aaron is now a Burien resident and is in a band with fellow MRHS graduate Matt Pina. Their band, “Uncle Ernie’s,” recently performed at Mick Kelly’s and hope to be back there soon. Aaron plays drums while Matt plays bass.

Matt not only played in the band “Rolling Boulders” with him, he provided these exclusive photos of he and Tom in younger years (Tom is in the striped shirt):

Matt and Tom were in the class of ’79 at Mt. Rainier High School. We asked Matt to remember his friend and fellow Des Moines native.

I was very proud of Tom, he had a great ear and knew how to make the music sound great.

Like everyone, we fumbled as we learned our craft, but Tom persevered. He became successful and turned his dream into reality. In fact he’s the only person I know who ever turned their musical dreams into reality (more than a hobby).

One of my most vivid memories of Tom is about 12 years ago. He was engineering a recording for a few of us from Instant Karma that were getting re-aquainted. On a break when everyone had headed outside, Tom picked up an acoustic guitar and began strumming a favorite song of mine, Neil Young’s “The Needle and The Damage Done”. I was captivated and really enjoyed that moment. I can’t say why it was special, but it was. It was just a moment of purity. A short performance by the man who ran the board. He wasn’t really known for his guitar playing, but that moment was genuine and awesome.

Friends from Tom’s life, the music industry and others from Des Moines will celebrate his life at St. Philomena’s Church, located at 1790 South 222nd Street on Wed., July 29th at 11am.