SEATTLE, WA – A Washington state man has been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly killing his girlfriend and dismembering her body, leaving the remains in an apartment.
Willie James McCoo, 55, is accused of fatally stabbing Kiara Sewell, 31, whose body was discovered by Seattle police on June 15 at an apartment building on North 143rd Street. Officers responding to the scene discovered Sewell’s body showing “obvious signs of trauma.”
Surveillance footage captured McCoo and Sewell entering and exiting the building on June 8 and 9. Afterward, only McCoo appeared on camera, often seen carrying large bags. The medical examiner estimates Sewell’s death occurred around June 10.
During a search of McCoo’s storage unit, authorities reportedly recovered an 18-inch machete and an 11-inch hunting knife.
“I want him to pay for what he did to my daughter,” said Sewell’s mother, Taneika Tigner. She described the horrific injuries her daughter suffered in a statement to local media.
McCoo was apprehended on the murder charge and remains in custody at the King County Correctional Facility under a $4 million bond.
The incident comes shortly after McCoo’s release from prison last fall. He previously served nearly two decades for a violent knife attack on a sleeping woman, initially sentenced to over 28 years for first-degree assault. However, part of his sentence was reduced after the Washington Supreme Court overturned the state’s drug possession law, affecting several of his past convictions.
Family members of Sewell expressed their disappointment with the legal system. Her uncle, Sekou Forrester, lamented the situation, questioning why McCoo was released to cause more harm.
Sewell leaves behind four children. A GoFundMe campaign describes her as someone who brought joy to those around her, urging others to remember her lively spirit and infectious smile rather than remain in mourning.