Suspect arrested after car theft and killing of 80-year-old Seattle woman

Seattle police announced Wednesday the arrest of a 48-year-old Seattle man in connection with a car theft Tuesday morning that left an 80-year-old dog owner dead and her dog stabbed to death.

The victim, Ruth Dalton, owned a dog walking business called Grandma's Critter Care.

According to police, the suspect fatally wounded Dalton during the carjacking Tuesday morning near the corner of MLK Way East and East Harrison Street in Seattle's Madison Valley.

KUOW typically does not release suspects' names until they have been officially charged.

Witnesses told police that the suspect, who was sitting in the passenger seat of Dalton's blue Subaru Forester, attempted to push her out of the vehicle.

When several passersby tried to intervene, the suspect pulled out a knife, quickly reversed the car across the street and crashed into two parked vehicles. Dalton, who was partially outside the car, was fatally injured.

When police arrived at the scene, they found Dalton in the middle of the street with a passerby attempting to resuscitate her. Seattle police and firefighters continued to attempt to resuscitate Dalton, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Later Tuesday, Deputy Chief Eric Barden said, police received a report that someone had stabbed a dog with a knife near Brighton Playfield in the Columbia City neighborhood, about five miles south of where the car theft occurred.

Barden said a dead dog was found at the scene with a tag indicating it belonged to Dalton. Her abandoned Subaru was also found nearby.

Police found Dalton's phone in the vehicle. Barden said investigators found the suspect's fingerprints on the phone.

At least two other dogs were found in the car and one escaped at the scene of the car theft.

Police, with the assistance of a SWAT team, conducted surveillance of the suspect's home and arrested him Wednesday morning. Barden said the suspect had a knife with traces of blood on it and the keys to the stolen Subaru on him when he was arrested.

Barden said the suspect is charged with first-degree murder and first-degree cruelty to animals. The suspect has eight previous felony convictions, including involuntary manslaughter, and has a history of mental health issues.

Barden called the crime “a senseless and violent act.”

“From beginning to end, this case is disturbing and horrifying,” he said.

However, Barden praised the bystanders who came to Dalton's aid, as well as those who worked with police to quickly locate and arrest the suspect.

“This is a great example of citizens coming to the aid of their fellow citizens and then working with the police from start to finish,” he said. “This was a great collaboration with the community and within the police department to get this man off the streets.”