A tribute/memorial that went up at a light pole near the crime scene in White Center where 23-year-old Maria "Sweetheart" Failautusi was shot to death on Aug. 16 was removed today but while it was there people came to mourn her loss.
Update 3 for Sept. 1
Anthony Haroldlee Smith pleaded not guilty to the charge of second degree murder with a firearm enhancement in his arraignment at the King County courthouse on Sept. 1, according to the prosecutor's office.
25-year-old Smith was charged with the Aug. 16 shooting death of Sweetheart Failautusi in White Center, and remains in jail on a $1 million bail.
Smith's case setting hearing will be on Sept. 15.
The sentencing range if convicted is 16 to 24 ½ years in prison.
Update 2 for 2:45 on Aug. 19
Anthony H. Smith, 25, was charged on Aug. 19 with second degree murder in the shooting death of 23-year-old Maria “Sweetheart” Failautusi on Aug. 16 in White Center, according to the King County Prosecutor's Office.
If convicted, the sentencing range is 16 to 24 1/2 years in prison.
Smith will be arraigned on Sept. 1 at the King County Courthouse and remains jailed on a $1 million bail, according to Dan Donohoe with the prosecutor's office.
For more details on the charge, please check out the Herald article, Charging documents: White Center murder stemmed from fist fight over a cigarette denied
UPDATE for 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 18
The suspect's bail was set at $1 million on the afternoon of Aug. 18, according to the King County Prosecutor's Office.
Prosecutor's have until Aug. 22 to file charges against the 25-year-old man arrested in connection with Maria “Sweetheart” Failautusi's shooting death in White Center on Aug. 16.
Probable cause documents surrounding the 25-year-old man’s arrest allege he had gotten into an altercation with Sweetheart Failautusi and her friends shortly after midnight on Aug. 16. During that altercation, which became physical, a gun allegedly fell out of the suspect’s waistband and his friend picked it up.
According to court documents, the initial fight ended at that time and the suspect allegedly yelled, “It’s not over (expletive), I’ll be right back,” at Failautusi.
36 minutes later, according to the police report, the suspect allegedly returned with two friends and yelled “Bitch! (expletive) you” at Failautusi before pulling out a handgun and firing three shots, striking her in the back of the head.
Detectives on foot patrol a block over on 16th Ave S.W. heard the gunshots and ran to the scene where they found the victim deceased, according to court documents.
The suspect was identified as the alleged shooter from surveillance footage and a photo montage shown to witnesses, according to the probable cause report.
Original post:
A 25-year-old man was arrested at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 17 at his home in the area between the Delridge and Highland Park neighborhoods of southwest Seattle, “not far from the shooting scene” in White Center, according to King County Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Travis DeFries.
The suspect was booked in jail for investigation of homicide later that evening and, according to King County’s jail registry, his bail has been denied. (UPDATE - his bail has now been set at $1 million as of 3 p.m. on Aug. 18)
Two suspects are still at-large in the shooting death of 23-year-old Maria “Sweetheart” Failautusi. She was shot in the head, according to medical examiners, and died at the scene near the corner of S.W. Roxbury and 15th Ave S.W. shortly before 1 a.m. on Aug. 16.
Deputy DeFries has not confirmed that the arrested suspect is the actual shooter, saying “right now we want all three, they are all equal in our mind.”
SWAT team and KCSO Major Crimes Unit detectives located the suspect at his home, resulting in a “peaceful apprehension,” according to Deputy DeFries.
An eyewitness of the arrest, who asked not to be identified, told the Herald, "I was walking out from my house and i (saw) a group of people on the corner, right when i (saw) this Samoan family Sweety popped in my mind. I was kind of confused when i saw it but as i walked up to the small crowd i heard people saying that they found Sweety's murderer. I just (saw) two big Sheriff's trucks outside with about four undercover cop cars, there was about five officers with big guns in the house while two other officers were investigating the suspect's mother and sister. While that was happening some of the officers were going into the suspect's home and were taking bags of evidence out, like about two hours later all the officers left."
KCSO cited detective work at the shooting scene and tips received from the Aug. 17 release of surveillance footage showing the three suspects at a nearby gas station during the night of the shooting.
“The citizens and business owners of White Center were upset to hear of this tragedy in the area, KCSO Major James Graddon, Commander of the West Precinct, said in a press release. “They have been working hard with us for many years to improve public safety in their neighborhoods. This incident will ultimately be resolved through the continued support of the community and the efforts of deputies and detectives.”
KCSO asks that anyone with information leading to the arrest of the two outstanding suspects call (206) 296-3311 or 911.
“We’re going to solve this quick and we are proving it right now,” Deputy DeFries said, thanking a helpful White Center community for coming forward with information to this point.
30 prior incidents for the arrested suspect
A background check of the suspect arrested on Aug. 17 shows a rap sheet of 30 prior arrests including multiple DUIs, driving on a suspended license and drug charges.
The suspect’s name will not be publicly released until formally charged.