WA judge frees accused murderer after 65-year-old veteran was murdered

RENTON, Wash. – According to Renton police, 19-year-old K'Shawn Konscience Jimerson called 911 on Friday and told the operator he had stabbed someone and was “outside with a knife.”

When officers arrived, they found 65-year-old Michael Gray in Jimerson's apartment with stab wounds to his side and back.

He died from his injuries.

Investigators say clear surveillance video shows Jimerson chasing Gray from behind and hitting him in the back of the head with a large wooden club, then hitting him in the head two more times after he fell to the ground. Gray turned to fight Jimerson, who ran away and grabbed a knife before they disappeared into the apartment.

Witnesses said they heard the argument and then saw Jimerson carrying a large butcher knife and covered in blood.

Officers found the knife in a sink full of dish soap.

A witness saw Gray bleeding to death and shouted for Jimerson to call 911 before he died. When calling 911, Jimerson claimed self-defense.

Investigators say the video clearly shows it was not self-defense. They will provide more information to the prosecutor's office tomorrow.

Gray had been hired as a handyman by Jimerson's grandmother. He had spent a day and a half cleaning the walls in the apartment. She is said to be devastated by the murder.

Gray lived directly across the street from the Jimerson family. He was a military veteran. His roommates say he hated having his photo taken, so we can't show you one at the moment.

A day after his arrest, Judge Michele Gehlsen released Jimerson on $50,000 bail without electronic home monitoring.

At that point, the surveillance video of the attack had not been entered into evidence, so she would not have known about it. In Washington state, judges are prohibited from conducting interviews or speaking publicly about decisions on ongoing cases.

Jimerson recently returned to Washington from Texas, where his mother lives.

Nothing stops him from disappearing.

Prosecutors plan to immediately file a murder charge tomorrow at 2:30 p.m

A higher bond should be attached along with a new arrest warrant and new arraignment date.

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