Possible first break in 2001 'assassination' of Washington U.S. Attorney

SEATTLE — "This is a big deal for all of us, it was an attack on our system of justice and I do think it was related to his work," said Mike McKay, a Seattle attorney, and former U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington talking about what he described as the “assassination” of Thomas Wales, an assistant U.S. Attorney.

Wales worked as a prosecutor under McKay.

The former U.S. Attorney thinks that in a case that has haunted investigators for 18 years, news of Tuesday’s indictment could be the break investigators have waited and worked so hard for.

"Most of us don't have the information behind this indictment but it sure appears to be a significant development in this case," said McKay from his downtown Seattle office, where he is a partner at K&L Gates Law Firm.

The shocker of an indictment surfaced Tuesday.

In it a 34-year-old Everett woman, Shawna Reid, is accused of lying to a grand jury. The indictment alleges she lied about statements made by, who court documents refer as, "suspect #1."

"She has a very difficult decision to make,” said McKay. “Does she want to help the government with its investigation or does she want to spend years and years in a penitentiary?”

On the surface this indictment reveals a break in the case and that a suspect exists.

Steven Clymer, the special prosecutor out of New York assigned to work full time on the Wales case, signed the indictment. He wouldn’t comment on the case Tuesday or Wednesday.

Clymer’s indictment alleges that at one point Reid said suspect #1 bragged to her about being involved “in the murder of a judge or attorney that lives on top of a hill.”

But later the court documents reveal she denied saying it.

The court documents don’t make any actual mention of Wales.

Wales was gunned down in October 2001 while he was working late at night in his basement office on Queen Anne hill.

He was shot through his window. The motion detector lights never tripped, but a witness reported seeing a man taking off around the time of the incident.

The Department of Justice, the FBI and the Seattle Police Department have remained committed to solving the case.

The DOJ says it's a top priority and has offered a $1 million reward.

McKay and other former U.S. attorneys earlier this year increasing that reward by $525,000 to more than $1.5 million.

"I am confident if she, now in forthright way, helps the government, that she would still be eligible for this reward, and I’d do everything I could to get the money to her if she tells the truth. Time has not run out for her, but the clock is ticking," said McKay.

"I hope this information is sustentative and can lead to it, but it's been 18 years," said Ralph Fascitelli, who worked closely with Wales on gun safety issues. "I’m not that ready to jump over the moon on this latest information on it – there is a lot of skepticism I have for it."

Fascitelli said he's disappointed with the FBI and that the case remains unsolved.

He worked with Wales at Washington Ceasefire, where the prosecutor served as president. Fascetelli wonders if his gun advocacy work is any way connected to his murder.

“He was whip smart, passionate about making society a better place for the next generation,” Fascetelli said. “I consider him like a brother. I loved Tom Wales and anybody that knew him would say the same thing.”

McKay feels confident that Wales was gunned down over a case he prosecuted.

At one point the FBI focused on a Washington pilot Wales prosecuted, but he was never charged and maintains his innocence.

Wales was a father of two and worked for the U.S. Attorney's fraud unit, specializing in banking and business crime.

“If he was killed in line duty this will be first assistant U.S. Attorney in history of our country who was killed in the line of duty," said McKay.