TACOMA — A 15-year-old boy accused of fatally shooting a Tacoma teenager last month was being investigated by the King County Sheriff’s Office in a human-trafficking case, according to charging documents, and investigators were tailing him the day of the shooting.
The teenager and at least one other person identified as “DK” in court records were involved in the case, according to charging documents filed Monday in Pierce County Juvenile Court. A female described as the teenager’s girlfriend reportedly was the victim.
On July 31, investigators from the King County Sheriff’s Office followed the 15-year-old throughout the day as he drove a red Chevy Tahoe, records state. The female was with him, who is referred to as “X” in court records. Investigators stopped their surveillance because of the teenager’s reckless driving and excessive speed — he reportedly drove over 100 mph on southbound Interstate 5.
The News Tribune generally does not name people accused of a crime who are under age 18 and have not been charged as an adult.
Investigators stopped following the teenager at about 6 p.m. Less than an hour later, he’s alleged to have shot Ja’Pree Marcus, 19, multiple times in an alleyway off of Pacific Avenue in Parkland. Marcus died at the scene.
The human-trafficking case that the teenager was being investigated for in King County does not appear to be directly connected to the killing of Marcus.
Charging documents show that sheriff’s detectives from Pierce and King counties began communicating about the teenager after a Pierce County detective located an image of him leaving the scene of the fatal shooting in a red Chevy Tahoe that was reported stolen the same day.
The detective sent the image to a crime analyst to learn about anyone associated with the stolen vehicle and soon learned that King County detectives had been surveiling the teenager for the trafficking case as he drove in the same Tahoe earlier in the day.
Court records indicate that the fatal shooting might have stemmed from a confrontation between Marcus and the alleged shooter at a convenience store the week before. Marcus reportedly made a rap song about the incident. Detectives described both teens as members of rival gangs.
The alleged gunman was arrested Saturday by police in Auburn, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, which has been investigating the homicide. On Monday, the teenager was charged in juvenile court with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
He appeared in Remann Hall on Monday afternoon unrestrained and in a blue detention uniform. Prosecutors said they were there for first appearances in two cases — the murder and a fourth-degree assault that allegedly occurred over the weekend while the teenager was held in detention.
Prosecutors said they were seeking to charge the teenager as an adult in the murder case. Because of that, the teen did not enter a plea. A hearing to decide whether the case will be moved to adult court was set for Sept. 27.
He did enter a plea of not guilty to the fourth-degree assault charge.
After hearing from prosecutors, the defendant’s attorney from the Department of Assigned Counsel and probation services, Commissioner Mark Gelman ordered the teenager held in secure detention on both matters pending further proceedings.
Marcus graduated in 2023 from GATES High School, an alternative school part of Franklin Pierce School District. Principal Val Jones told The News Tribune that Marcus was a wonderful human being, and his death had broken “a lot of hearts.”
He was among a number of students selected to give a speech at his graduation ceremony. In it, he said he had struggled in school the past few years and as a sophomore was convinced he would give up on graduating, but he kept going.
“A spark came on inside me that was pushing me to want better not only for myself well being but for my family as well,” Marcus said in the speech.
Jones said GATES High School and its programming can have that kind of impact on a lot of kids, but they have to want it.
“And I know for a fact that Ja’Pree was really wanting a good life for himself,” Jones said.
Shooting outside suspected illegal marijuana shop
Pierce County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at 6:39 p.m. for reports of a shooting at 11814 Pacific Ave. S., where Marcus was found in the street with multiple gunshot wounds.
According to the probable cause document, Marcus was shot in an alleyway between two buildings that housed multiple businesses at 11810 Pacific Ave. and 11814 Pacific Ave. Marcus then ran into the street where he collapsed. A Glock pistol with an extended magazine was found near him along with a phone and 9 mm ammunition.
In and near the alley, which leads to a parking lot behind the businesses, 11 bullet casings were found that were .45-caliber.
A door between a massage parlor and a motorcycle shop at 11810 Pacific Ave. had been under surveillance by the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board and the King County Sheriff’s Office because it was believed to be an illegal marijuana business, according to the probable cause document. Records indicate the alleged gunman was inside the weed shop before the shooting occurred.
Marcus’ girlfriend was with him before the shooting. She reportedly told detectives that they stopped at a gas station at 119th Street South for gas. After Marcus pumped the fuel, she said he told her he would be right back. She said she didn’t know where he was going but assumed it was to get weed, records state. A short time later, she heard gunshots.
Further investigation led detectives to obtain a video Aug. 1 that captured a portion of the shooting. It allegedly showed Marcus on his phone and looking around while he stood on the sidewalk outside the weed shop. The video cuts out, and, when it begins again, Marcus is walking toward a bus stop on Pacific Avenue.
While Marcus’ back is turned to the alley, the door to the weed shop opens and a shorter person wearing a blue shirt and white or gray pants walks out. Detectives identified that person as the 15-year-old suspected shooter.
A female identified as the victim in the human trafficking case, “X,” also followed the teenager out of the shop, records state. The video shows the teenager walk toward Marcus, who turns to face him but reportedly doesn’t appear to react. As the teenager gets closer, a puff of smoke comes from him that is consistent with gunfire.
Marcus began to run toward Pacific Avenue and tripped on something next to the bus stop. The teenager allegedly continued to shoot as he backed down the alley.
Three days after detectives obtained video of the shooting, “X” reportedly agreed to meet with detectives in Randle, a small town in eastern Lewis County.
Detectives learned that she and the 15-year-old gunman went to the suspected illegal weed shop the day of the shooting and that while they were there Marcus came to the front door. According to the probable cause document, the teenager recognized Marcus on security cameras.
“X” allegedly told detectives that the teenager could see Marcus was on his phone, and he thought that Marcus was calling his friends to confront him over an altercation they had the week before at a convenience store. The teenager allegedly pulled out his gun and told employees at the weed shop not to let him in.
After the shooting, the suspected gunman allegedly picked up “X” and they drove away. Records state “X” said the teenager called his uncle and said he had killed a gang member. He was reportedly told to ditch the car. He reportedly did that, burned the blue shirt he was wearing and broke the vehicle’s ignition to make it look like it had been stolen. Records state “X” heard steps were being taken to move the teenager to Nevada, Arizona or St. Louis.
