Shannon Harps suspect in custody
Seattle police announced Friday that they have arrested 48-year-old James A. Williams of Seattle in connection with Harps’ slaying.
According to police, Williams’ DNA matched DNA found at the scene.
Williams has been in custody since Jan. 16 for violation of his probation, police said.
This is definitely a relief for the family and friends of Shannon Harps, as well as for the community as a whole. It appears that the attack was completely random and that the suspect has had a history of violence.
On a personal note, I was returning from the store after the press release and was interviewed by King5 (edited from Kiro 7). They showed me a photo of Williams and passed on the details. I don’t actually have a television so unless they post it online, I won’t be able to see if they use the footage.
What are your thoughts on the news a suspect has been identified?
I hope it’s for real.. it will be interesting to hear what DNA they “found at the scene”. If he’s homeless, and happened to “leave some DNA” in the stairwell, that’s not terribly conclusive..
*Crosses fingers*
I think they found DNA on her body, probably under her fingernails. I can’t remember where I heard that though, so don’t quote me.
Thank goodness.
He looks familiar - I think I’ve seen him around the hill before.
Fuck.
I don’t think I’ve ever noticed him. The reporter showed me the photo on his cell phone. Creepy. I’m trying to compare it to the one on the computer and I’m still not convinced that I’ve seen him. Then again, I’m out and about often enough that I probably see dozens of people daily.
The person who murdered Shannon Harps did something fucking awful. But this dude has only been arrested for the crime — please reconsider your headline, Wesa. For all we know, we have a worst case scenario of Law & Order on our hands and more twists to come.
I just read in the Times that the suspect has a long history of paranoid schizophrenia. So, if he proves to be the murderer, an innocent woman was tragically killed by a homeless man with an untreated mental illness. This story could get even more sad than it already is.
Not to get political, but with a mentally ill homeless person as the main suspect, it’s hard not reflect a little on the comments of the convention goers a few weeks ago who highlighted the large amount of homeless people in Seattle as something they found…distasteful.
Perhaps it’s time our fair city does a little more to help these people?
I understand he refused to take his meds. No meds … go to jail … save lives.
Yikes. Yeah, that complicates things.