Court docs: No apparent motive or connection with victims to suspect in quadruple Tacoma murders
TACOMA, Wash. - New details in the murders of four Tacoma residents who were executed by a man who seemingly had no connection to them, according to court documents.
The accused shooter is 22-year-old Maleke Pate. Pate appeared in court Monday for a scheduled arraignment, but that was delayed when prosecutors asked that the man be mentally evaluated. Pate is charged with four counts of first-degree in a crime that appears as baffling as it is horrifying.
The parents of 22-year-old Natasha Brincefield are still trying to grasp that their child is gone. Gunned down in the middle of the afternoon, along with her boyfriend Raymond Williams, his sister Maria Nunez and nephew Emery.
"The only thing we can do is ask why," said Natasha’s mother, Kathina. Which is what prosecutors and detectives are also asking.
According to court documents, the 22-year-old suspect lived alone and surrendered peacefully during his arrest. Inside his room, investigators found shooting targets that were silhouette, suggesting he was practicing quote "headshots." Documents said none of the victims have any connection to drugs, gangs or the shooter. They say the motive for the murders is entirely unclear but detectives did uncover one potential connection.
"It was quite surprising to find that they went to 5th grade with each other," said Kathina. But whether or not there is any significance to Natasha and the suspect being at the same school for a year over a decade ago is unclear.
"Does he even know who she was? 5th grade was such a long time ago, maybe they didn’t even remember each other," said Natasha’s father Timothy.
Everything was going so well for Natasha. She’d been with her boyfriend for six years. She had a good job and was going back to school.
We’re told Raymond’s sister, Maria who was also killed that day along with her 19-year-old son Emery, had recently adopted a baby boy. Her husband is a Tacoma pastor, loved ones say their lives revolve around the church. Dorothy Yahtin said Maria changed her life. "I lost my youngest son about 9 years ago, I was homeless and had nowhere to go and they brought me in."o
Maria and her husband gave Dorothy a home when she needed it most. Dorothy said that’s just the kind of people they were. Family told FOX 13 News they hope to one day understand why their loved ones were murdered, but aren’t sure if they’ll ever get an answer. Pate’s next court date is expected to happen in about two weeks.
A gofundme has been set up to help pay for funeral expenses.
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