The suspect in Wednesday morning’s fatal stabbing of a King County Metro bus driver was the suspect in a stabbing that killed a man in Nov. 2023.
No charges were ever filed in that stabbing.
Prosecutors in King County announced no charges were filed in the November 2023 stabbing case involving Richard Sitzlack, citing insufficient evidence to disprove his claim of self-defense.
Sitzlack called 911 from Cowan Park in Seattle on November 2, 2023, reporting that he had stabbed his roommate after being attacked with a weapon.
He alleged the altercation occurred as he tried to leave their apartment on University Way Northeast.
According to the police report, Sitzlack stated his roommate grabbed him by the neck, shoved him to his knees, and swung a perceived weapon, prompting Sitzlack to defend himself with a knife.
Initially, investigators found inconsistencies in Sitzlack’s account, including the condition of the victim’s body and the stabbing’s location in the apartment.
These observations led prosecutors to argue for probable cause at Sitzlack’s first court appearance.
However, further investigation aligned more closely with his self-defense claims, and, under court rules, he was released after 72 hours.
King County prosecutors emphasized that Washington law allows defendants to claim self-defense without a duty to retreat and permits reliance on a mistaken belief of an immediate threat.
Multiple senior prosecutors reviewed the case and determined that the evidence could not disprove Sitzlack’s claim beyond a reasonable doubt.
While no charges have been filed, prosecutors noted that murder cases have no statute of limitations, and any future evidence that contradicts the self-defense claim could prompt a reevaluation of the case.
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