Thomas Wales
Thomas Wales | |
---|---|
Born | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | June 23, 1952
Died | October 12, 2001 Seattle, Washington, U.S. | (aged 49)
Cause of death | Murder |
Education | Harvard University (BA) Hofstra University (JD) |
Occupation | Assistant United States Attorney |
Thomas Crane Wales (June 23, 1952 – October 12, 2001) was an American
Early life and education
Thomas Wales was born in
Career
In 1995, a student at the high school that Wales' son attended brought a gun to school and shot and injured two classmates. Soon after, Wales became involved in Washington CeaseFire, most visibly as a vocal supporter of an
Wales worked as an Assistant U.S. Attorney at the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle, specializing in the investigation and prosecution of fraud in banking and business.[2][1]
Death
On the evening of Thursday, October 11, 2001, at approximately 10:40 p.m., Wales was sitting at a computer in his office in the basement of his home at 108 Hayes Street.]
Wales died at a hospital the next day. He is believed to be the only U.S. federal prosecutor in history to have been assassinated.[8]
Murder investigation
Following the murder, the federal government offered a $1 million reward for information "leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible" for Wales' murder.[1] As of 2018, however, the case remained unsolved and no evidence has been found to establish a motive.[9][10][11] An airplane pilot living in Bellevue, a firearms enthusiast who Wales had prosecuted, was investigated and his home searched, but he was not charged. Agents believed he resented Wales' off-duty activism as a leading gun-control advocate.[12] The pilot later filed a malicious prosecution claim but the suit was dismissed.[13]
In early 2003
In June 2007, the FBI cut the staff assigned to the case down to two.[15]
In February 2018, an FBI official reported the investigation had found "evidence strongly suggesting" Wales was murdered by a
First in 2011 and then in 2018, the FBI released footage of Wales's grown children requesting tips and publicizing the $1 million reward.[16][17]
Legacy
In his memory, the Thomas C. Wales Foundation was established to support civic engagement, and Thomas C. Wales Park in Seattle was dedicated in 2011.[18][19]
See also
References
- ^ FBI. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ a b c "Milton Graduate, Federal Prosecutor, Victim of Seattle Gun-Man". milton.edu. Milton Academy. October 16, 2001. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 18, 2020.
- ^ "108 Hayes St, Seattle, WA 98109 - 3 beds/4 baths". Redfin. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "Who Killed Tom Wales?". Seattle magazine. July 8, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ "Tracing gun barrel is next hurdle in probe of federal prosecutor Thomas Wales' death". The Seattle Times. October 7, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
- ^ Federal Prosecutor and Advocate of Gun Control Is Shot to Death Archived May 15, 2006, at the Wayback Machine October 2001
- ^ Fallows, James (October 11, 2014). "The Search for the Killer of Tom Wales Goes On". The Atlantic. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ Unsolved murder: Investigation into the shooting of Tom Wales moves slowly Archived August 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine December 19, 2001
- ^ Assassination on Queen Anne: A year later, there are few leads in the slaying of assistant U.S. attorney and gun-control advocate Tom Wales Archived May 25, 2006, at the Wayback Machine September 18, 2002
- ^ Seattle Times. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
- ^ "FBI cuts agents looking into murder of Tom Wales". June 3, 2006.
- ^ FBI scours 2 houses owned by pilot in Wales case September 20, 2006
- The Atavist. No. 115. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
- ^ FBI cuts agents looking into murder of Tom Wales: At least two will remain on case of federal prosecutor June 3, 2006
- ^ Seeking Information in 2001 Murder of Tom Wales, retrieved May 9, 2022
- ^ $1 Million Reward in Thomas Wales Murder Case, retrieved May 9, 2022
- ^ Brodeur, Nicole (April 14, 2011). "New Thomas C. Wales Park eases pain of an old case". The Seattle Times.
- City of Seattle. Retrieved February 20, 2018.
External links
- Somebody Somewhere, a podcast investigation of Wales' murder