The email transcription below was originally posted to the Three Tree Point Yahoo Group, which has seen a recent increase in residents airing concerns about possible suspicious characters in the neighborhood.
According to this specific report, a “suspect” male knocked on the glass door of a home at 5am and asked for help, as if he were stranded. The male member of the household, speaking through the locked door, asked the man to leave his property, yet the suspect didn’t. After switching his story and asking for a cigarette, the male resident displayed a handgun and requested again that the suspect leave, which he finally did.
Later the suspect was seen trying to flag cars down up the road, and that’s when the resident called police, who came to the scene, then found and questioned the suspect. Here’s the exact email thread (names and addresses have been removed):
The messages below were forwarded from our block watch captains:
From: “Galusha, Roy”
Date: February 26, 2010 7:05:13 AM PST
Subject: RE: BLOCKWATCH ALERT!!! Early morning knockerThank you for sending this on to me … It appears that several calls came in on this individual. Someone did flag down Officer Hennesy. Officers Skaar and Fitchett also responded. They made contact with the individual at SW 160 and 15 SW. I heard the detail on my way into work this morning when they were running his name. I did not talk with them, so I don’t know what story he told them. The individual lives in the South end of Des Moines. He had an Obstructing warrant out of Olympia; however, it was non-extraditable (meaning they won’t take him from King County). He was ultimately released because we had no crime or warrant that we could hold him for.
I would like to say that M did an outstanding job of paying attention to detail and forwarding that information on. Her husband did the right thing of confronting the individual from inside the house and refusing to open the door for him. He also let the individual know that he was armed. It is real common if someone is trying to get in or trying to keep you distracted, that if you come up with an answer to one question, to throw another line at you; i.e. if you don’t fall for the fact that he broke down, can you give me some cigarettes. If he needed a ride to work, why didn’t his friend he was visiting give him a ride?
This could have been a legitimate case of the person trying to get a ride to work, to him trying to get into the house to rob them. I don’t know, we probably never know, but the important thing is that the family and neighborhood is safe. We used to have a saying when I was working in the Air Force Security Forces career field.
“Today I prevented 10,000 terrorists from gaining access to the base and blowing up my planes by being ever vigilant and providing a level of force protection.”
If anyone asked how I could prove it, my answer was “Can you disprove it?”
This is the same situation, we can’t prove that he was trying to break in, but you can’t disprove that he wasn’t planning to.
Great job.
Officer Roy Galusha
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Sent: Friday, February 26, 2010 6:42 AM
To: Subject: BLOCKWATCH ALERT!!! Early morning knocker THANK YOU! M, for reporting this.Begin forwarded message:
Subject: Early morning knocker
This morning at 5 am we had a man knock very loudly on our front door. Our door is completely glass, so my husband was able to see him very clearly and speak to him through it without opening it. The man was African American with a shaved head, approximately 5 ‘ 10″, between the ages of 28 and 32, wearing khaki colored Carhardt-type work jacket and pants. He said he’d been stranded and needed a ride, though my husband noticed he was completely dry and it was raining outside. My husband then told him it was very early and he needed to get off of our property, the man then said he smoked and wondered if we had any smokes? My husband again asked him to leave our property. The man hesitated and then insisted that he was stranded. My husband then showed him a handgun he had grabbed on the way to the door and told him we carry weapons in the neighborhood so you need to be careful and once again firmly asked him to get off our property.
Upon leaving our driveway a Ford 250 type truck drove by and stopped, they appeared to talk though he could have just flagged him down. We then called the non-emergency police number to report the incident, the police responder said she’d received several calls from this area regarding multiple people, she described a “dirty white man and a Hispanic.” After making the report, my husband drove up the street to see what the status was. He saw the same man up the road near 160th frantically trying to flag people down in their cars. My husband then drove back home seeing a police officer on the way. He stopped and directed the officer back to the man to investigate. We believe this man was possibly with a group of men looking to rob homes and somehow got left behind or the ride was scared off. We do not question this man was potentially armed and looking to obtain a vehicle. Either way, he was quite aggressive and insistent in asking us to let him into our home, by repeatedly asking for a ride and then for a cigarette.
This is a good example of what a stranger will do to gain entry, and why you should never open your door. Thanks to everyone for communicating about your respective incidences and if anyone else had a similar experience this morning please notify the group – this block watch really helps us all to be prepared in events such as this.
Best- XX
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Date: February 26, 2010 6:35:59 AM PST
Subject: Suspicious person on 25th Ave SW this morningWhile on my way to work at 5am this morning, I called 911 to report a suspicious person coming up out of the driveway at 25th SW.
He was a black male, I believe in his 30’s, with a shaved head, and wearing a yellow rain coat. He approached my truck, told me he was visiting a friend, and that his vehicle broke down, and needed a ride to the Burien Park & Ride so he could get to work.
When I told him no, he then asked me for money for a cab. I called 911 immediately.
We highly recommend that our Readers join a local “neighborhood email group” where residents can subscribe and get updates by email (ie: suspicious characters, crime reports, garage sales, missing pets, city issues, etc.), which we see happening down at Three Tree Point.
Here are two good resources where you can search for one near you, or create your own:
Here’s the latest update on Jeff Kearney, the well-known mentally-challenged man who was the victim of a hit-and-run on Nov. 17th in White Center (read our previous coverage here).
According to Debra George, who visited him on Sunday, Dec. 6th:
Jeff is slowly making good progress. He is awake most of the time. He is been doing good at moving his legs and arms, taking commands. Yesterday I asked him to raise one finger, then two and so on – he did very well. I left him with the challenge last night to move his mouth – try and smile, and this morning I am happy to say he moved his mouth and smiled a bit, he even tried to mouth some words.
The doctors say that him might get his tracheotomy out this week and begin to work with a speech therapist. Next week he will be sent back to Harborview where they will look at his hips again – then back to Riverton Rehab. I am very hopeful that he might be home for Christmas.
At this time they have not found the individual that did this to him.
Thank you for all your prayers and concerns.
- Debra George
Discover Burien, Event Manager
The hit-and-run driver is still at large, and the investigation is still continuing. The suspect vehicle had damage to the left front fender, and lost its driver’s side exterior rear-view mirror at the scene. It is probably maroon in color, a Chevrolet or GMC product, and is likely one of the following models:
- GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
- Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
- Suburban: 1992-1999
- GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
- Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999
There is still a $1,000 reward, so if you recognize the suspect vehicle please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.
If you’d like to visit Jeff, he’s taking visitors now at his new location at Highline Medical Center’s Specialty Campus, which is located at 12844 Military Rd South in Tukwila (phone: 206-244-0180). Jeff is in room #229.
Just spoke with Debra George, who had a chance Tuesday to visit Jeff Kearney, the well-known, mentally-challenged man who was struck by a hit and run driver last Tuesday (Nov. 17th) in White Center.
“I feel very positive after seeing him,” Debra said late Tuesday morning. “I saw him move his shoulder and grimace in pain at one point, which is a great sign actually – it shows that he is responsive, which is a relief. And as I was leaving, I said out loud: ‘Okay Jeff, I’m going now, so you’d better give me a hug!’ and he actually moved his shoulders.”
Debra gave us more details on Jeff’s current condition:
- He’s still in Intensive Care at Harborview in serious condition.
- He’s been taken off the drug-induced coma but has not yet awakened.
- However, he has shown movement in both his arms and legs, which is a good sign.
- He’s currently on a respirator because he has contracted pneumonia since being admitted.
- He has fractures in his pelvis and hip, as well as severe injuries to his jaw, which may actually be broken.
As we reported last week, Kearney, 36, well-known in Burien as part of “Team Clean Sweep,” was crossing 16th Ave SW in the crosswalk at SW 106th in White Center on Tuesday, Nov. 17th around 5:20pm when a vehicle heading southbound on 16th struck him.
Jeff’s legal guardian, Mike Lindorff, apparently didn’t know about the accident until around 8:30pm that night, when he began to get worried that Jeff hadn’t yet returned home. Apparently Jeff was not wearing his usual ID dog tags when he was hit, so he was admitted to Harborview as an unidentified “John Doe” until Mike found out what happened.
Debra spoke to a nurse at Harborview, who told her it could “take a week” or so before Jeff wakes up on his own and gives them a chance to fully analyze his condition.
Jeff’s 37th birthday just happens to be this Saturday, Nov. 28th, and anyone who wishes to send gifts or cards should drop them off at The Mark Restaurant, located at 918 SW 152nd in Olde Burien before closing time Friday night (Nov. 27th); Debra George will then personally deliver them to Jeff.
According to Sgt. John Urquhart of the King County Sheriff’s Department,”we have not located the suspect vehicle or driver. We still want tips from the public. The vehicle has damage that is specific and significant enough that someone should recognize it.”
Police are still looking for a maroon-colored Chevrolet or GMC SUV/truck that’s missing an exterior side rear-view mirror (and possibly has other front-end damage), and is likely one of the following models:
- GM or Chevrolet full size pick-up: 1988-1989
- Blazer or Jimmy: 1992-1994
- Suburban: 1992-1999
- GMC Yukon: 1992-1999
- Chevrolet Tahoe: 1995-1999
If anyone recognizes the suspect vehicle they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.
We here at The B-Town Blog continue to send positive vibes and prayers to Jeff. We are all feeling more positive after speaking with Debra, and are currently visualizing a huge “Welcome Back” party to celebrate a healthy and full recovery for him soon, where we’ll all hug him and tell him how our spouses, children, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers are doing.
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
Hey we know times are tough, so when you find a good thing you stick with it, but this is ridiculous – the King County Sheriff’s Department says a man robbed the same Wells Fargo Bank twice!
The bank is located inside the Safeway Store at 4011 South 164th in SeaTac.
The robber first struck about 5:50pm on June 17th. He presented the teller with a robbery note, then fled with the cash. No weapon was seen.
Tuesday of this week (Aug. 25th) the same bad guy struck again just after 5pm. He again used a note, was given the cash and walked out. No weapon was seen.
No one saw a getaway car after either robbery.
The robber is a Hispanic male in his 30, between 5’8” to 5’11” tall with black hair. He wore dark sunglasses and a tan zip-up jacket in both robberies. He wore a white baseball cap in the most recent incident.
Here are his pics from the surveillance camera – recognize him?
If anyone recognizes this suspect they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911 immediately.
The tellers there are getting tired of seeing him.
The King County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a white, 1990s-model 4-door BMW 5 Series car (see included reference photos of a similar vehicle) driven by the suspects in a shooting that left an 18 year-old man dead on Wednesday night.
As we previously reported, the incident occurred about 11:30pm on Wednesday, June 24th. The victim was in the back seat of a car that was southbound on Military Road South. Four friends were with him in the car. A second vehicle began following the victim’s car but turned off at South 140th. As it did, several rounds were fired and the man was hit.
The men drove straight to Highline Medical Center in Burien, and the victim collapsed in the entrance to the Emergency Room. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
The dead man is believed to be 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 at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 911.
The King County Sheriff’s Office announced Sunday that they have arrested the fourth and final suspect in last week’s brazen shooting in SeaTac, with all alleged shooters now in custody.
The 21 year-old Kent man showed up at the jail Saturday night (April 11th) accompanied by his lawyer.
The shooting that precipitated these arrests occurred about 4pm on Tuesday, April 7th when a 2000 Cadillac was ambushed as it waited at a red light at South 188th and International Blvd. At least 20 rounds were fired into the car from an AK-47-type rifle as the gunman stood near the sidewalk. The driver was critically injured and the front seat passenger sustained serious injuries from several gunshot wounds.
The driver remains at Harborview, clinging to life.
The first to be arrested was the getaway driver, age 20 from Seattle. He was hit by a pistol round-to-the-groin as the car left the scene. Detectives believe he was shot accidently by one of the other persons in the car. He was released from Harborview and booked into jail on April 9th.
Another suspect was arrested in Burien on April 10th. He is a 21 year-old SeaTac man.
A 21 year-old Seattle man was arrested in central Idaho, also on April 10th. He is awaiting extradition.
Charges for all four are expected next week. In the meantime, bail was set at $2,000,000 each for Attempted Murder.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- Three Out Of Four SeaTac Shooters Arrested, One In Burien
- VIDEO: Security Cam Footage From SeaTac Shooting
According to KIRO TV and KOMO News, King County Sheriff’s Detectives are still looking for the killer of a Lynnwood woman whose body was found in Burien three years ago.
The naked body of Nicole Pietz, 33, was found strangled to death on Feb. 6, 2006 in bushes near Des Moines Memorial Drive South and South 144th Street.
Her husband last saw her at home on Jan. 27th of that year, and her car was later found in Seattle’s University district.
Authorities are offering a $36,000 reward to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest or conviction of the killer.
If you have any information about this case, you are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
1/6/09 9pm UPDATE: We just communicated with Faraz Lakhani, the victim of Tuesday afternoon’s hit and run, who reports that the suspect was captured within the hour by police (it doesn’t help to have your license plate fall off).
Faraz, who works at the Subway sandwich shop on 16th SW, sent us the following first-hand report:
I am really thankful to have walked out from the sunroof of my car unscathed except for a minuscule cut on my hand. It sure was my lucky day today – ‘cos the accident looks like the driver would have been hurt much worse.
The police did find the hit and run driver within the hour. He was a 72 year old man with a suspended drivers license and no insurance
I decided not to prosecute and they will just be charging him for driving without a license.
I was just really shaken as my car flew and rolled before it landed on its side.
The car is going to be a total loss but I have reason to be thankful I came away unhurt!
I really appreciate your efforts to help get the hit and run driver.
PREVIOUSLY: From our sister site The White Center Blog comes this breaking news report:
At approximately 2:25pm Tuesday afternoon (1/6/09), our intrepid “on-the-street” Reporters Mark Neuman and Bart Bryan witnessed the immediate aftermath of a hit and run accident at the intersection of SW 104th and 16th Ave SW in White Center.
The BMW on its side above was headed northbound on 16th when it was t-boned on the driver’s side by a black Hyndai Accent, knocking it onto its side.
The license plate of the suspect hit and run vehicle is Washington plate #735 VJT (see photo below).
Below are more pictures taken at the scene, including the dented license plate, which fell off the suspect’s vehicle and was discovered by Neuman and Bryan.
The suspect remains at large, so if you have any information on this car or its owner, you are encouraged to call the King County Sheriff’s office immediately at (206) 296-3333 or 296-3323.
WHITE CENTER – A boy barely old enough to drive a car was sentenced to 19 years in prison Friday for the killing of White Center resident Craig Hoffman.
Jonathan Newman, 16, was the last of three teens to be sentenced for burglarizing and shooting the father of four, who was gunned down in the street near his house on 14th SW.
As the suspect who brought the gun and pulled the trigger that day, Newman was prosecuted as an adult, which resulted in the harshest punishment.
Both Newman’s and Hoffman’s relatives attended the emotional hearing at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent.
Newman pleaded guilty to a second-degree murder charge in April.
His two friends pleaded guilty to burglary charges and were each sentenced to two years in juvenile detention.
On Oct. 19, instead of going to school, the three teens were looking for a house to loot when they saw Hoffman drive away from his house, in the 11000 block of 14th Avenue Southwest, according to King County sheriff’s detectives.
They were ransacking the place when Hoffman unexpectedly returned, so they ran. Hoffman was chasing them when Newman turned and fired three times, striking the 46-year-old twice in the chest.
Investigators say Newman, then 15, laughed as Hoffman collapsed. He died almost instantly, his keys still dangling from the door of his home.
SOURCE:
SEATAC – The King County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man suspected of exposing himself at least 11 times in the SeaTac area.
He appears to be getting bolder and his activities are escalating, deputies reported.
Investigators released a composite sketch of the suspect Monday morning (see sketch at left).
In the attacks, the suspect has exposed himself to girls and women, aged 11 to 39, in apartment complexes. In some cases, he grabbed or groped the victim as she walked past.
The incidents began in late February. The most recent incident was occurred April 13. They all took place between 5 and 9:30 p.m.
Victims have described the suspect as a man in his mid-20s with olive skin. He’s 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 8 inches tall. He is always dressed in jeans and a hoodie sweatshirt with the hood cinched up around his face.
Here’s a list of the incidents from the Sheriff’s Office:
- February 20, 2008 at Windsor Heights Apts., 17229 – 32nd Ave S.
- February 28, 2008 at Carriage House Apts., 3608 S. 180th.
- February 29, 2008 at Windsor Heights Apts., 17229 – 32nd Ave S.
- March 10, 2008 at Hunt Club Apts., 3726 S. 180th.
- March 23, 2008 at Carriage House Apts., 3608 S. 180th.
- April 12, 2008 at Windsor Heights Apts., 17229 – 32nd Ave S.
- April 13, 2008 at Carriage House Apts., 3608 S. 180th
The apartment manager at Carriage House says there were at least four other incidents at the complex between March 10 and 21st that were not reported.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 or 911.
SOURCE:
BURIEN –A man who robbed a Burien tobacco shop March 7th claims he needed money “for diapers,” according to the King County Sheriff’s Office.
The man is still at large; see surveillance video still on the left.
Authorities say the suspect was armed when he robbed the Burien Tobacco Mart, located at 14400 Ambaum Blvd. SW, just before 8 pm.
The suspect first stopped by the beer and wine cooler before pulling out a handgun and demanding money from the cash register, police said. He took two wine coolers before fleeing on foot.
The shop’s clerk said the suspect spoke with a slight lisp, but it could have been because he was nervous
Police describe him as a black male, roughly 22 years old, and about 5-foot 8-inches tall. He is about 140 pounds and was wearing dark jeans, a black stocking cap and a black jacket with gray sleeves and a Rhino logo on the front.
Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to call the King County Sheriff’s office at (206) 296-3311 or 911.
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