On Friday morning (Dec. 23) the King County Sheriff’s Office released a new sketch (above) of a suspect wanted for the attempted sexual assault of a 13-year old girl in Burien on Monday night (Dec. 19).

As we previously reported, Police say that the 13-year old victim had taken out the trash and was approached by a black male as she walked back to her apartment in the 13700 block of 12th Ave SW around 7 p.m. Monday night (Dec. 19). The suspect told her he was the apartment manager and needed to check the hot water tank.

The victim let the suspect into the apartment where he attempted to sexually assault her. During the incident the victim yelled for her 9-year old brother to call the police and the suspect fled on foot.

Police say the suspect is a Black male in his mid to late 20s, around 6’0″ tall and described as “chubby.”  He also wore a diamond stud earring in his left ear.

“The victim also noted the distinct crease or split in his bottom lip,” said Cindi West, KCSO Public Information Officer. “The split is a natural split – NOT an injury or cut.”

The apartment complex has regular uniformed security and all employees wear uniforms. The suspect is not believed to be an employee.

Burien Police notified the apartment managers who in turn notified the complex residents.

“Detectives have been working all day on every avenue to try and identify this suspect,” said Burien Police Chief Scott Kimerer. “It is a high priority for us and the Sheriff’s Office.”

If you have any information related to this crime please call the King County Sheriff’s Office at 206-296-3311.

NOTE: Previously, police inadvertently released a sketch of a “person of interest,” which has since been removed.

King County Sheriff’s detectives are seeking the public’s help in finding suspects in the vicious assault of an 18 year-old man who is hearing-impaired.

As we previously reported, the assault took place near Highline Medical Center in Burien last Wednesday morning (July 20).

The man’s injuries were originally thought to be life-threatening, but he is now in extremely serious condition at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Police say that the incident occurred sometime overnight on Tuesday or Wednesday, July 19th or 20th. Burien Police learned of the assault when they received a 9-1-1 call about 7 a.m. Wednesday morning. The caller said there was a bloodied and staggering man in the street directly across from Sylvester Middle School, 162221 Sylvester Road SW.

Police found the man a few minutes later, suffering from a serious head injury. He could not talk due to his hearing disability and assault, but kept pointing over towards the school.

Deputies and police checked the school and found some of the man’s belongings, including a blood-stained sleeping bag and blood on the wall of a school breezeway. They also found his hearing aid which was now broken and inoperative.

Detectives believe the man was sleeping outside at the school when attacked. The man is homeless from time to time.

If anyone has information in this crime they are asked to call the King County Sheriff’s Office at (206) 296-3311 (24 hours) or 9-1-1.

by Scott Schaefer

Through our own detective work, along with a little bit of journalistic elbow grease, we were able to track down the woman who was shot at the intersection of SW 136th and Ambaum Blvd. SW last Wednesday, June 1st, for an exclusive B-Town Blog interview.

The woman has identified herself as Cassaundra Jonasson, and in our interview she paints a detailed picture of how the dramatic incident unfolded, how and where she got shot, how she ended up driving herself to the 7-11, what is was like being hit, and much much more.

Here’s a recap of the news as we reported that afternoon with numerous updates (read the entire post, with photos and audio interview here):

• The female victim was shot while sitting in her car with a passenger at the intersection of SW 136th and Ambaum Blvd. SW round 12:15 p.m.
• Seriously injured, she managed to drive herself to the recently re-opened 7-11/Shell gas station at SW 146th and First Ave South. Medics took her from there to Harborview Medical Center, where she was listed in serious condition. She has since been released.
• Ambaum was closed off for a while between SW 142nd and SW 136th as police scoured the area searching for the shooter.
• Mark Neuman spoke with Burien Police Sgt. Henry McLauchlan at the scene, who told him that the suspect, a male, fired into the woman’s car, then fled. Some people may have caught ‘fleeting glimpses’ of the man as he left, according to McLauchlan.
• Police on the scene repeatedly told us they thought the shooting “was not random.” We still don’t know the motive for the shooting.
• Neuman conducted an audio interview with An Banh, who owns an auto repair shop located kitty-corner from where the shooting took place, who heard the shots, saw the shooter and provides his own description of him (listen to it here).
  
• Far as we know, as of Wed., June 8th, police have not released a description of the suspect, and the shooter still remains at large.

This exclusive interview was conducted via email, and we present it below in its raw form:

Q: Please tell us, in detail, what exactly happened?
A: In the process of helping a family friend move out of the heights in burien. I myself had been in those apartments for about two weeks, the last day moving we loaded the car started driving out of the heights stopped at arco to get gas was there for about ten minutes. pulled out of Arco on the Ambaum blvd side turned right onto Ambaum sitting at the red light in front of the Arco on Ambaum and 136th. before the light turned green the passenger and i heard the first shot that went straight through the passengers window through his jacket coming less than an inch from hitting him and into my chest because i had my right arm on the steering wheel otherwise i would have probably been hit in the arm instead. my first instinct was to just step on the gas then rapidly four more shots came from behind us but you could tell he was running after the car. besides the first bullet one went through the passenger side right above the rear wheel through and through the car one went into the back in between of the rear window and the car where that bullet was lodged. another bullet into the passenger side rear tire and the last one ricocheted off the roof of the car. I had no clue at first i had been hit i continued to drive down Ambaum blvd somewhere between getting shot and 146th st the passenger in my car pointed out i had been shot i made a left on 146th convinced i was going to find Highline (hospital) myself but once we got up to first ave the burning and the pain was so bad i had to pull over the passenger had already been on the phone with 911 by that time.

Cassaundra Jonasson was shot on June 1st at the intersection of Ambaum Blvd. SW & SW 136th.

Q: Did you know the shooter?
A: No, I’ve never met the man that shot before in my life.

Q: Do you know why he shot you?
A: We still are not 100% sure on that one but we have a few things that are being worked on.

Q: How many shots were fired? (we counted 5 evidence markers on the street)
A: Five is correct. he hesitated after the first one the last four were extremely rapid though.

Q: Did you know that you were hit right away?
A: Not at all. i felt something different about my body. It was HOT and then everything just started to burn really bad. All the adrenaline just from being shot at had me completely shook up i just couldn’t think of anything else.

Q: Did your passenger know the Shooter? Does he have any idea why you guys were shot at?
A: No the passenger is a GREAT person through and through. He has never had any type of trouble like that. That’s why when it first happened and we first pulled off we were so confused as to what even happened in the first place it was extremely shocking to the both of us. still to this day.

Q: The Passenger wasn’t hit, correct? Was he the target or were you?
A: No the passenger wasn’t hit. the first bullet that was shot came through his window went straight across his chest through and through both parts of his open jacket coming not even an inch of missing him. It was a very scary experience that neither of us ever wanted to go through. We both got extremely lucky in SO many ways. Its shocking because of how much it didn’t make scene. Its definitely one of the things that keep me up at night wondering. And as for the target that part hasn’t been figured out. as you can see in the pictures of the crime scene my car had 5% tint on it there was absolutely no way for anyone to know who was in my car or even who was driving it at that point.

Q: Did you drive the car yourself or was there another driver?
A: I did drive myself even though komo 4 reported that a man drove me to the gas station but yes i was the driver the whole time from 136th and Ambaum to 146th and first avenue.

Q: What was your condition initially?
A: At first i was fine. i knew to keep pressure on it until the aid car got there. and i knew since i wasn’t coughing up blood that most likely it hadn’t pierced my lungs. but by the time we got to 146th and first ave my body felt to weak. by the time the aid car had showed up i was sitting on the floor outside of my car.

Q: Did you suffer much?
A: The pain from the ambulance ride and the hospital was unbearable. They had to put breathing tubes down my throat and i was awake for the whole thing. There was such a large amount of blood lost i could feel my body getting weak. They said the bullet came an inch from my lung and five inches from my heart and the bullet went in pinky deep.

Q: How long were you in Harborview?
A: They took me to Harborview because i was in such critical condition. but i got shot on the first (of June) and the let me out late on the second so i wasn’t in there for long at all.

Q: What are your injuries/where were you hit? Will you fully recover?
A: I have a bullet hole wound right below the arm pit. It’s not all that big but since they wouldn’t give me stitches or anything it has to heal its self. for the most part i am fully recovered. Mentally/emotionally i will always have some scars but physically i am just as fine as i was before this all happened just with a wound to talk about.

Q: How are you doing now?
A: Now, i’m doing okay. still kind of worried with this guy out on the streets i still don’t understand with ALL the witnesses how this man hasn’t been caught. Especially knowing he ran into the heights after the shooting and i was staying there for the 2 weeks prior im sure that’s where they could be looking but the king county sheriffs department are putting there all into this and i do appreciate it. I just hope that if it was anyone else that happened to run into him they wouldn’t be scared to say something. Everyone has to tell at least one person their secret so there is someone out there that knows exactly who did this just to be able to think that is what bothers me i guess.

Q: Weren’t there several witnesses? Why hasn’t the shooter been caught yet?
A: I know there was several people at the bus stop right across the street. and when i pumped gas at arco all the pumps were full so i know there were witnesses there too. It just happens that since the area it all happened in a lot of people don’t talk to much. But hopefully with fingers crossed he will be caught.

Q: Do you live in Burien? Has this affected your perception of the city?
A: no i don’t live in burien i grew up there from the age of 2 – 13. Funny thing is i always told myself that Burien was the place i wanted to go back to and live. i still think burien is great it just happens to have its bad areas just like Tacoma or Seattle.

Q: If you could (safely) speak to the Shooter now, what would you say to him?
A: honestly i don’t really know what i would say. I mainly would just want to figure everything out and ask why but other than that im not much of a person to have words for anyone who would do something like that to anybody. I have a 2 year old that could have easily been in the back seat of the car (which got shot into) im just thankful i didn’t.

Q: Has this incident changed your perception of guns, gun laws, etc.?
A: My perception of guns has always been the same. I believe people have the right to bare arms for SAFETY reasons. Changing the laws isn’t going to stop the “bad” people from buying illegal guns from the street and using them for crime.

Here are some photos taken at both scenes that day by Mark Neuman:

Evidence markers indicate where five bullets were found.

Shot and bleeding, Cassaundra Jonasson managed to drive her car from where she was hit to the 7-11 on First Ave South and SW 146th.

That day police had two crime scenes to investigate, causing road closures throughout Burien.

LeClaire is believed to be responsible for as many as 14 other bank robberies in the area, including the Sterling Savings Bank last April in Burien (read our report on that here), a Key Bank in West Seattle, along with others in Auburn, Kirkland and Des Moines.

The woman was arrested following a robbery at the Alaska USA Federal Credit Union on SE 240th Street in Kent last Tuesday. Employees and witnesses were able to write down the license plate number of the car she drove, and later police pulled her over and arrested her.

The suspect has been booked into the King County Jail, where she’s been charged with first-degree robbery in connection with the Kent bank heist. LeClaire is slated to be arraigned Jan. 27th at the Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent, with bail set at $250,000.

One police officer said in a report that LeClaire had a “strong odor of alcohol” coming from her mouth and probably had been drinking before the Kent robbery. LeClaire allegedly replied with “I’m not drunk but I did need a little liquid courage.”

The FBI received a search warrant and conducted a search of the woman’s home, where they allegedly found evidence linking her to the bank robberies last year.

Here are surveillance photos released by the King County Sheriff’s Department that we first posted last April:

These are from the West Seattle robbery on April 5th:

“Never believe all you hear, spend all you have or sleep all you want!” states LeClaire on her apparent Facebook Page.

Also, rather ironically, BTB Reader (and apparent visionary) Rob left this Comment on our original April story:

Wouldn’t the KCS department, FBI and SPD be wrong if the bank robber turned out to be a real woman??? Where is the CSI when you need them???

The suspect is described as a white female, around 50 years old, standing around 5’4″ with a thin build, brown hair, medium complexion and wearing a purple hooded coat and black gloves. No vehicle was seen.

Police believe this suspect may have committed several other bank robberies in the area.

Here are two surveillance camera photos of the suspect:

According to police:

On Thursday 12/09/10 at approximately 1845 hours, the above photographed and described suspect entered the Safeway store located near the corner of S 216th St. and Pacific Hwy South.

The suspect passed a demand note informing the teller that she was in possession of a handgun and a demand for money.

The suspect was last seen exiting the store and no suspect vehicle was identified.

This suspect is believed to be of similar description to several other bank robberies throughout our region.

If you have any information on this suspect, please contact Detective Ross Stuth at 206-870-7615 or via e-mail at rstuth@desmoineswa.gov.

You can also call Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound at 1-800-222-TIPS.

It was one year ago today (Nov. 12, 2009) that Mark Ebinger, 25, was stabbed and killed outside Good Time Ernie’s in Burien.

Far as we know the suspect is still at large.

We also believe there is still a $10,000 reward being offered by the Ebinger family, along with Crime Stoppers, for info leading to the arrest of the murderer.

Here’s a brief re-cap of the tragic incident:

Mark and his brother Peter, 24, were attacked outside the Burien bar around 1:45am on Nov. 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.

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…”

Anyone with information on this case 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.

Here’s a video report on this case from KING-TV:

Mark Ebinger was just 25 when he was killed outside Good Time Ernie's Nov. 12, 2009.

Read The B-Town Blog’s previous coverage of this tragic incident here.

King County Sheriff’s detectives announced Friday (Aug. 27) that they are seeking the public’s help in solving a 2001 White Center homicide that occurred on Aug. 28, 2001, exactly nine years ago Saturday.

Specifically, they at least hope to find the White Center house where the suspect took the victim and her sister prior to fatally shooting one of them on a street corner.

Case History: Crystal Vaughn (age 29 at the time) and her sister Misty were drinking beer at a bus stop in White Center when they were contacted by the suspect. They went back to the suspect’s house for a drink. An argument ensued and the sisters were driven back to the area of SW 101st and 15th Ave SW.

The argument continued between the suspect and Crystal. The sisters were out of the man’s car and walking away when he pulled up next to them and shot Crystal three times. She died at the scene.

Click map to see larger version.

Suspect’s Residence: The house was about a mile or so away from where the women were first approached, generally in the area of the 3700 block of SW 106th, unincorporated King County in the White Center neighborhood.

The women were asked to remove their shoes when they came in. The man said his “niece was sleeping” and to they had to be quiet. The interior of the house was neat and tidy, and there were children’s toys in the house.

There was a large stereo and a CD collection, as well as a free standing stove or fireplace in the living room. The women were served brandy to drink.

Click sketch to see larger version.

Suspect Description: A black male about 27 to 35 years old. He was “big” and 6’ to 6” 3” tall. He smoked Marlboro Red cigarettes.

Click sketch to see larger version.

Vehicle Description: A black or possible dark green SUV, similar to a Chev Tahoe. There was a dolphin display on the stereo face. The front seat might have been a “bench seat” and the seats were possibly leather.

Click sketch to see larger version.

Here’s a video by Q13 Fox about the case:

The public can also view other drawings on a special website focusing on this case.

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

However, after much consideration and review from numerous fellow (and seasoned) journalists, we stand by the story as posted below.

Please note that, out of consideration for the family, we have softened some language and removed the mugshot of the suspect.

Here’s the latest update, directly from The Wausau Daily Herald:

A Washington man was arrested Tuesday in connection to the death of a North Carolina man in the town of Lac du Flambeau.

The Vilas County Sheriff’s Department has referred homicide charges for Scott Loy, 41, of Burien, Wash., for the death of his family member Brian Loy, 38, of Greensboro, N.C., to the Vilas County District Attorney’s Office, according to a Vilas County Sheriff’s Department press release.

Scott Loy made an initial appearance Wednesday in Vilas County Circuit Court. Judge Neil Neilsen set a $10,000 cash bond for Scott Loy. His arraignment hearing is set for Sept. 27.

A Vilas County investigation determined that Brian Loy died as a result of the physical altercation with another family member, according to the release. The Sheriff’s Department declined to say what the relationship is between Brian Loy and Scott Loy.

The Vilas County Sheriff’s Department was called at 5:54 a.m. Tuesday to Strawberry Point Drive in the town of Lac du Flambeau to investigate. Brian Loy was unconscious and pronounced dead at the scene.

The case is under investigation by the Vilas County Sheriff’s Department, Lac du Flambeau Police Department and the Vilas County Coroner’s Office.

PREVIOUSLY:

WFJW-TV of northern Wisconsin is reporting that Scott Loy, 41, of Burien, has been arrested in the connection of the death of his brother, Brian Loy, 38, in the town of Lac du Flambeau on Monday, Aug. 24.

According to WJFW News:

• A 911 call was received early Monday morning reporting the incident.
• A spokesman for the Vilas County Sheriff’s Department says the brothers got into a fight on a pontoon boat on Fence Lake in Lac du Flambeau.
• 38-year-old Brian Loy of Greensboro, North Carolina, was pronounced dead at the scene.
• Police say that he died as a result of a physical altercation with his brother, Scott, but the exact cause of death has not been determined.
• Scott Loy made an initial appearance in Vilas County Circuit Court and a $10,000 cash bond was set.
• An arraignment date of Sept. 27 was scheduled.

According to The Seattle P-I, the 50-year old male suspect who police say has committed more than 30 “smash-and-grab” style burglaries in the Burien/West Seattle area made his first court appearance Thursday after his arrest early Wednesday.

His bail was set at $150,000.

According to reports, on Wednesday morning around 2am, police responded to an alarm at Huff Motor Sports in the 15821 block of First Ave South in Burien. A witness told police that he saw a man wearing a blue shirt and tan pants running from the scene, carrying a cash register.

On Thursday, that same witness identified the suspect in court, police said.

Washington State Patrol records show that the suspect has a record, including a previous felony conviction for attempted residential burglary, two felony convictions for burglary and a conviction for felony theft in 1991. He also has felony convictions for forgery and drug possession, along with numerous aliases.

Read the P-I’s full story here.

UPDATE 2pm 8/11/10

Sheriff’s Detectives arrested a subject today that may be involved in more than thirty burglaries.

A team of detectives conducting surveillance in Burien responded to an audible burglar alarm at a motorcycle repair shop located at South 159 and 1st South. The detectives located a suspect in his vehicle and took him into custody.

The suspect, a white male adult, was booked into the King County Jail. He is being jointly investigated by the Sheriff’s Office and the Seattle Police for numerous burglaries in SW Seattle.

PREVIOUSLY: The Seattle Police Department reported early Wednesday morning (Aug. 11) that they’ve arrested a 50-year old male suspect in the recent “smash-and-grab” crime sprees that hit small businesses in an area from Burien north into West Seattle.

The suspect is alleged to have been responsible for at least 40 similar burglaries since July 1st (we’ve been following these cases closely – read our previous coverage here).

Here’s the report from SPD:

On August 11th, at approximately 2:30 AM, Seattle Police and King County Sheriff detectives working in conjunction on a series of commercial “smash and grab” burglaries, arrested a 50-year old male for a burglary in the Burien area.

This suspect is believed to be responsible for at least 40 similar type burglaries in the West Seattle and Burien area since July 1st.

Detectives from the two agencies will continue to follow up on these burglaries as they put together their cases for prosecution.

The suspect was booked into the King County Jail for Investigation of Burglary.