Suspect charged in fatal Seattle carjacking

SEATTLE — On Friday the King County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges against the man accused of killing beloved 80-year-old dog walker Ruth Dalton in Seattle’s Madison Valley Neighborhood on Tuesday.

48-year-old Jahmed Haynes has been charged with Murder in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree and Animal Cruelty in the First Degree. All three charges include a deadly weapon enhancement.

The incident happened just before 10 a.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard East and East Harrison Street.

Haynes was arrested Wednesday and is being held in the King County jail.

According to court documents Haynes got into Dalton’s car while she and at least two dogs were inside. As Haynes was pushing Dalton out, a witness with a bat tried to help, but Haynes pulled a knife.

With Dalton out of the car, Haynes backed up hitting two other vehicles. Then as he sped off, he hit Dalton. She died at the scene.

Dalton’s vehicle was later found abandoned at Brighton Playfield in Seattle’s Ranier Valley. Also found at the playfield, Dalton’s small dog. The dog had been stabbed to death and left in a recycling bin.

Haynes has an extensive criminal history. If he is convicted on either the murder or the assault charge, that would be his third strike and would mean he’d automatically be sentenced to life in prison.

Haynes is scheduled to appear Sept. 5 for his arraignment hearing.

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