SEATTLE, WA – The body of Thomas Hess was discovered in a downtown apartment nearly a decade ago and now authorities have charged a man in connection to the 2015 homicide, officials said.
Clay Fosse, now 37, is facing a second-degree murder charge after a lengthy investigation pointed to him as a suspect in the death of Hess, whose body was found by his roommates in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2015. The homicide occurred in an apartment located in the 2300 block of 1st Avenue.
First responders arriving at the scene found Hess concealed under blankets on his bed. His wrists were reportedly tied behind his back with a shoelace, and a leather mask covered his face. Detectives also detected a strong smell of oven cleaner, and a canister of the substance was discovered next to the body.
An autopsy later revealed that Hess suffered blunt force trauma to his face, neck, and torso, with multiple bones fractured. The King County Medical Examiner determined that Hess died as a result of mechanical asphyxia, a term used for death due to restriction of airflow.
Investigators quickly pieced together a timeline using key card entry logs and surveillance footage. Records showed that Hess last entered the building around 3 p.m. on Feb. 12, 2015, accompanied by an unidentified man. Security cameras later captured that individual leaving alone several hours afterward.
Several months into the inquiry, investigators collected and submitted various pieces of physical evidence to the state crime lab for analysis, including fingernail clippings from the victim. More than a year later, a DNA match linked the evidence to Fosse, who was incarcerated in New Mexico at the time on unrelated charges.
Further forensic work continued, and in 2024, authorities submitted additional items, including swabs from Hess’s neck, for DNA testing. Results confirmed the presence of both Hess’s and Fosse’s DNA, officials stated.
Fosse, who is currently serving a sentence in New Mexico for aggravated battery, has a criminal history with previous convictions for kidnapping and false imprisonment. Law enforcement said he was also arrested in Washington, only weeks after Hess’s killing, in a separate case involving assault and trespassing.
Officials have not released information about any motive behind the killing or explained how Fosse and Hess may have known one another. Court documents relating to the probable cause affidavit also remain silent on those details.
Fosse remains in custody in New Mexico as homicide charges proceed in Washington. Authorities say the arrest marks a significant break in a case that had remained unsolved for nearly 10 years.