Police seek suspect in fatal shooting

News briefs: Judge is still under scrutiny

Federal Way police are investigating a homicide that occurred at 7 p.m. Jan. 18 at the Metro Transit Center in Federal Way.

A 38-year-old woman from White Center was shot by a man in his late teens or early twenties, reports said. The woman was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and later died there as a result of the gunshot wound, reports said.

Investigators believe that the victim and suspect may have known each other. It appeared as though the pair had gotten into an argument about money before the woman was shot, reports said.

Police are still looking for the suspect, who is described as a black male in his late teens to early twenties. He was last seen running from the Transit Center wearing a black puffy jacket, reports said.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911.

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Judge faces more scrutiny

Former Federal Way Municipal Court Judge Colleen Hartl faces more allegations in relation to her resignation in December.

Hartl has been accused of trying to cover up an affair with public defender Sean Cecil. She left a voicemail message on a court employee’s phone asking the employee to make sure all those in attendance at the Christmas party, at which she revealed her relationship with Cecil, reported the same story that she was not sleeping with Cecil, according to a Jan. 17 King 5 Investigators article.

The Federal Way police are in custody of the recording, according to the same article.

Presiding Judge Michael Morgan urges Hartl to assist the court in figuring out which cases could have been affected by the relationship between Hartl and Cecil, who appeared in the courtroom before Hartl frequently. This will assist the court in moving forward in its proceedings and putting the incident behind it.

“Every week there seems to be some sort of new twist or allegation or sub-plot to the story and it is distracting,” Morgan said.

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Malaria prevention

Students at Todd Beamer High School will host an event to raise money to purchase malaria nets for people in Africa from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 30 at the school, 35999 16th Ave. S. The event will include music, poetry and guest speakers. The cost to attend is $2 and raffle tickets will be sold.

For more information, call (253) 945-5833.

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Seminar for FW parents

The Federal Way School District student support services department will offer a free workshop, “Approaching Difficult Conversations,” from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 26 in the Educational Service Center, 31405 18th Ave. S. The workshop aims to help parents improve communication on complex issues. Call (253) 945-2080.