In 2025, Auburn saw three murders inside the city, and then two more near the city at the White River Amphitheatre and on State Route 167.
Of the five murder incidents in or near Auburn, four resulted in charges against suspects. In all four cases, suspects are still awaiting trial.
“The Auburn Police Department is proud of the effort and dedication of our personnel in investigating crimes that occur in Auburn,” Assistant Chief Sam Betz said. “We will continue to dedicate the time and resources necessary to thoroughly investigate crimes while also striving to communicate effectively with the community.”
At about 11 p.m. Feb. 4 in the 1900 block of 22nd Way NE, William McKinley, 19, was allegedly shot and killed by Zaire Orr, 18, Abdul-Mateen Nasir Alamin, 16, and a suspect who was 15 years old at the time of the crime. The 15-year-old is still going through the court process to determine if he will be charged as an adult.
In this case, the three males allegedly met with McKinley to buy marijuana, but instead attempted to rob McKinley. Orr is accused of shooting McKinley after McKinley began to drive away when Orr produced a handgun and asked McKinley to give him the marijuana.
“The armed suspect demanded the marijuana, saying something to the effect of, ‘You don’t want to get shot over some weed, do you?’ McKinley then put the car in drive and as he attempted to drive away, the suspect with the gun shot him in the head,” documents state. “The vehicle then crashed into a generator enclosure west of their parking spot, and the suspects fled the scene.”
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged all three males with first-degree murder.
At about 12:12 a.m. May 27, in the 11200 block of SE 323rd Street, Keivon Cash Bias, 21, was allegedly shot and killed by Kyree-Brian Amar Jackson, 22.
In this case, Bias’ girlfriend reported that they were at a friend’s home, and they were concerned because they saw a car parked down the street. Bias’ girlfriend said they were concerned because a street gang that Bias was associated with had been involved in some violent interactions within the past two weeks with a rival gang.
At about 12:14 a.m., officers responded to a report of gunshots. Bias’ girlfriend reported that Bias and she were heading inside the home when Bias had suffered a gunshot wound to his shoulder. When officers began life-saving aid, they found that he had suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his chest. Bias was transported to Harborview Medical Center, but at about 2:30 a.m., medical staff informed officers that while in surgery, he was pronounced dead.
At the scene of the shooting, officers located 34 9mm shell casings, two .40 caliber shell casings and 16 7.62 caliber shell casings. According to documents, no shell casings were found near where Bias was shot, so it appeared that the suspects were the only persons who fired.
Jackson was identified as a suspect because, before Bias died, he stated that a white Chrysler 300 was involved, and officers then found that a white Chrysler 300 was in the area around the time the shooting occurred. Officers further identified Jackson because the license plate of the car was located on camera, and when officers found the car, the car had a blow-and-go device. This device takes a photo of the driver whenever the car is driven, and Jackson’s phone GPS also placed Jackson at the scene of the alleged crime.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Jackson with first-degree murder. According to King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office spokesperson Douglas Wagoner, no further charges for suspects have been referred.
A murder that occurred at about 7:30 p.m. June 26 near Auburn on northbound State Route 167, just north of Ellingson Road in Algona, has still not led to any arrests. In that case, a silver Prius was found containing one deceased man who suffered gunshot wounds. The deceased man was 22-year-old Breiner Andres Castro Jaramillo.
According to Washington State Patrol Trooper Rick Johnson, there are still no new developments in the case, and detectives are asking anyone with information regarding the case contact the Washington State Patrol.
When the incident first occurred, Johnson stated that the only information they really had was that the suspects might have been in a silver Scion or Subaru-type vehicle, and a red SUV of an unknown make or model. Johnson said apart from that, there is not much information about what happened, so they really need the public’s help to report anything they saw.
“We can’t say if it’s targeted, random, road rage related. We don’t have any information like that,” Johnson said.
At about 10:53 p.m. Aug. 27, at the White River Amphitheatre, near Auburn, Devin Brice McCurdy, 31, allegedly punched Brandon Godsey after a disagreement, causing him to fall to the ground and die as a result of blunt force injury to the head.
“During this extremely brief and petty argument, the defendant quickly threw a punch directly into the unsuspecting victim’s face, so that the victim was knocked out in the air and fell with full force onto the ground,” Prosecutor Thomas O’Ban stated. “The victim fell backward and hit his head directly onto the concrete pavement, and clearly lost consciousness.”
Godsey was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center after he was assaulted. Despite doctors’ efforts to revive him, his injuries were too severe, and he died, according to a GoFundMe for Godsey.
McCurdy fled to Alabama, where he was arrested after he was identified as the suspect in the case by various people who were with him the night of the alleged crime, according to charging documents.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged McCurdy with second-degree murder.
Around 7 a.m. Nov. 23, in the 1700 block of Southeast 312th Street, Sayed Sadat, 37, allegedly strangled his wife, Geety Sadat, to death.
According to charging documents, Sayed Sadat described killing his wife as an “honor killing” because his wife dishonored the family by having an affair. Sadat told officers that in Afghanistan, it is common for people who are caught in an adulterous relationship to be killed.
“Sayed said that he woke at approximately 7 a.m. on Nov. 23, (and) he felt as though he had no patience and said to himself, ‘That’s it,’” documents state. “Sayed said Geety was still sleeping in bed next to him. Sayed described rolling Geety onto her back and climbing on top of her.”
Sadat told officers that the man he alleges his wife was having an affair with should be killed, too, but he was unsure how to kill him. Sadat stated that the man he believes his wife was having an affair with is bigger and stronger than him, so he would need a weapon to kill him, but he does not know where to get a gun.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Sayed Sadat with first-degree murder.
