Teresa Nordheim - Wicked Seattle

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC

www.historypress.com

Copyright 2020 by Teresa Nordheim

(Front Cover) The Smith Tower, located in Pioneer Square, is the oldest skyscraper in Seattle, Washington. Photographs from the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.

All rights reserved

First published 2020

E-book edition 2020

ISBN 978.1.43966.950.1

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019954278

print edition ISBN 978.1.467142.20.5

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

To the men and women of law enforcement
who mark a thin blue line between society and the wicked.

CONTENTS

.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Ernest Hemingway once said, Theres nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein. As a nurse, one might think that I have the key to a hidden lock and that drawing blood is easy for me. That isnt the case. Bringing a historical true crime book to life requires countless hours of time and a lot of energy and patience from both the writer and those closest to them.

It would be impossible to start an acknowledgement section without thanking the two people who loved each other enough to bring me life. Bob and Linda Marsh are two of my biggest supporters. Im grateful for their presence in my life and will forever cherish our time together.

My daughters, son and granddaughters are my biggest fans and greatest advocates. They are my strength when I feel weak. I love them with every fiber of my being. I want to thank Dalton and Cindi Tune for giving me two wickedly adorable granddaughters, Kaeloni and Gillian Tune. They keep a smile on my face and a warmth in my heart. Katerina Nordheim, for everything youve given up, allowing me to follow my dream. It hasnt gone unnoticed.

I would also like to thank the Seattle Public Library for graciously allowing me to use many of its wonderful photos. Thank you, Jade DAddario, for gathering and processing my two pages of requests. I also want to thank Chronicling America for its excellent selection of historical newspapers. To Murray Morgan and William Speidel, I only pray Im carrying on in your honor to help preserve our areas history, and Im relentlessly grateful for the hours of work youve contributed to the historical documentation of Seattle, including the good, the bad, the ugly and the wicked cast of characters contained in the pages of this book. Without you, there would be no story.

To my editor, Laurie Krill: Without your kind, caring nature and excellent communication, I may not have written this book. From start to finish, you have encouraged and inspired me.

To my copy editor, Ashley Hill: You helped me perfect the project and kept my spelling in check.

To my mentor, Joe Teeples: Your faith in my abilities, support of my endeavors and kind words of advice inspire me to be a better and more knowledgeable writer.

To my friends, my royal court, Denielle Varnum, Cristin West, Heather Fehr and Tyranni Wells: Youre all princesses in my book, and without your emotional support, I might have given up. And Prince Jereza, your karaoke kept me smiling on the hardest of days.

To my publisher, The History Press: Thank you for believing in me, not once, but twice. Its a pleasure to work with you.

Introduction

WICKED SEATTLE

Seattle began with a big bang, or at least a wicked collision, between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. This fender bender brought Washington above sea level and formed the Cascade Mountain Range. This collision occurred over the course of tens of millions of years, long before there were any human inhabitants on either continent. These mountains, which titivate Washingtons topography, continue to act in a wicked fashion, as they are live volcanoes. Fortunately, they have remained calm, apart from a few blasts that sprinkled ash through the state.

As the last ice age (twelve thousand to eighteen thousand years ago) ended, bays, lakes, valleys, hills and ridges formed all around the Pacific Northwest; thus, creating the bizarre terrain that covers the area today. Its this unique atmosphere that brought settlers to the area and still draws people today. Washington is one of the few states which can boast scenery that ranges from ocean beaches to valleys, mountains, deserts, rainforests and volcanoes. The problem with this state lies with its perfect mix of eccentric people; they were both respectable and malicious. The Pacific Northwest is known as the home of many serial killers and the final resting place of their victims. Two of the most notorious killers, Ted Bundy and Gary Ridgway, both came from cities near Seattle and rank among the top twenty most murderous Americans. The areas environment provides copious hiding spots for wild game; its trees provide wealth from lumber, and there is a large amount of fruit to harvest. The Pacific Ocean provides fish and shellfish to feed the hungry. The areas mountains provide valuable minerals, beauty and entertainment, its rainforests provide tropical foods and animals that may not otherwise tolerate the Pacific Northwests cold climate and its valleys have rich soil for crops and livestock. The good things about the area outweigh the bad, but the bad things are ever present. There are ample places to hide dead bodies, keep out of the public eye and make enough money to bring trouble to the front doorstep.

Located in the Pacific Northwest, Washington is currently the eighteenth-largest state in the continental United States. Named in honor of the nations first president, George Washington, Washington was admitted to the United States late in the countrys history. Out of the nations fifty states, Washington was the forty-second, admitted on November 11, 1889, but its history had been forged much earlier. Seattle is a seaport city in Washington and is the largest city in the state. It took Seattle many years to reach its current population, which totals well over 700,000 people, but wasnt long after the wicked collision that the states first inhabitants began to stumble into the area and explore the land.

Before the arrival of white settlers, Washington and the area that is now known as Seattle was home to a variety of Native American tribes; the Native Americans who explored the area found much to love. The Duwamish tribe built permanent longhouses along the Duwamish River. The waters of the area provided fish and shellfish, and the lands provided copious amounts of berries, an assortment of wildlife, fertile soil for planting and acres of farmland for livestock, which were used for food and clothing. The natives were content with their lives in the Pacific Northwest until European explorers and settlers began to arrive. There were battles between the white settlers and the natives, and the early battles created tension and turmoil. The settlers were fighting for land that wasnt theirs to take, while the natives were fighting to protect the land they loved and called home. While these battles took place hundreds of years ago, people are still reminded of the regions native heritage every time they say the name Seattle.