A suspect has been arrested after dramatic photos were released in the search for the killer of a transgender college student.
Seattle police released the photos in their search for the man accused of stabbing the unidentified University of Washington student, 19, to death inside a laundry room on Sunday night.
The circumstances leading up to the murder are under investigation and the King County Medical Examiner is expected to identify the victim soon.
A day after the photos were released, a 31-year-old man turned himself in to detectives for questioning.
The University of Washington confirmed the suspect who was arrested is the same man as the one in the photos.
The man, who has not been named, has now been jailed as part of the murder investigation, police announced.
Police described the suspect in the photos as ‘a light-skinned black male approximately 5 feet 7 inches, thin build.’
The surveillance images showed him wearing a long-sleeve dark blue full-zip shirt with a light triangle-style emblem inside a circle on the left front, a white collared shirt underneath, dirty blue jeans, and dirty dark, possibly gray shoes with a light sole.
Police released images of the suspected murderer from inside the laundry room where they say he stabbed a 19-year-old transgender student on Sunday
The unidentified 19-year-old student was found deceased with stab wounds inside the Nordheim Court laundry room on Sunday night. A man has since been arrested
‘Subject is wearing darker rimmed eyeglasses, has short black hair and a goatee with ingrown scruff around the jaw,’ police added.
Those with information about the suspect are encouraged to call the Seattle Police Homicide Tip Line. If you see the suspect, police have asked the public to call 911 immediately.
University of Washington spokesperson Victor Balta told Fox 13 that the school is cooperating with the investigation.
‘We are unable to confirm the identity of the student who was killed in the laundry at Nordheim Court Building 7 until the student’s family has been notified, and we will respect their privacy throughout this process,’ Balta said.
‘No suspect has been identified, and no motive for this crime has been established. Nordheim Court is operated by Greystar, and the UW is working with Greystar to ensure residents there are receiving support and resources in light of this tragedy.’
University President Robert J Jones said the school is offering support resources for members of the LGBTQ community.
‘I want to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and loved ones of the UW student who was killed late last night. There are no words that can express the profound loss of a student,’ Jones said.
‘While investigators have not yet identified a suspect or a motive, I want to recognize that when violence affects a trans person, it can be especially worrying to our LGBTQIA+ community members.
‘Our Division of Student Life is reaching out to students affected and providing support and resources to help them through this very difficult ordeal.’
Police described the suspect in the photos as ‘a light-skinned black male approximately 5 feet 7 inches, thin build’
The circumstances leading up to the murder at the off-campus housing unit are under investigation
While officials have not commented on the motivation for the killing, Turning Point USA postponed an event on campus featuring Chloe Cole, an advocate against gender-affirming care for minors that was scheduled for Thursday.
‘As many in the Seattle area have heard, a transgender University of Washington student was tragically murdered on Sunday night. The University of Washington chapter of Turning Point USA condemns this horrific act of violence in the strongest possible terms,’ the organization wrote in a statement.
‘No one should ever be subjected to such senseless brutality. Our thoughts and condolences are with the victim’s family and friends.
‘In light of this tragedy and by an overwhelming surge of violent threats directed at our chapter, threats that appear deliberately designed to falsely associate our peaceful event with the murder, we have made the difficult decision to postpone our upcoming event with Chloe Cole.’
