Man arrested for murder of popular 80-year-old Seattle dog handler

LOS ANGELES — The Seattle Police Department issued an update Wednesday afternoon after an 80-year-old woman was killed in a carjacking in the city's Madison Valley neighborhood Tuesday morning.

Police said they arrested Jahmed Haynes, 48, of Seattle. Haynes was seen near his residence when the SWAT team safely apprehended him.

When he was taken into custody, officers said they found a bloody knife and the keys to the victim's vehicle.

The carjacking occurred on the street near Martin Luther King Jr. Way East and East Harrison Street just before 10 a.m. Tuesday. Police, paramedics and neighbors – including a man with a baseball bat – rushed to the scene and tried to save the woman's life, but the woman died in the street.

According to police, neighbors quickly rushed to the woman's side to help her until paramedics arrived. They also said this incident is an example of how quickly people step in and help.

The victim, Ruth Dalton, was a popular neighborhood dog owner who had several dogs in her car and was on her way to a park when she was struck and killed by a carjacking. Investigators said she was dragged by the car as the suspect fled.

“To see an old lady lying on the ground being run over is horrifying,” witness Ian Delile told KOMO News on Tuesday. “I'm upset and angry. This is not OK.”

During the press conference, police stated that a struggle broke out between Haynes and Dalton. He jumped into the passenger side of her vehicle and tried to push her out. He then tried to drive away, colliding with two other vehicles nearby.

According to police, Haynes had already been convicted of a serious crime eight times.

“She's someone that people really loved, and she was a fixture in the Madison Park neighborhood for a long time,” added Susan Lindsay, a friend of the victim. “She will be greatly missed, and people really loved her.”

Just after 3 p.m. on Tuesday, police said they responded to reports of an abused dog. Seattle Animal Control arrived at Brighton Playfield and found a dead dog in a trash can near the 3900 block of South Juneau Street. Family members confirmed to KOMO News that Dalton's dog, Prince, was the dog Seattle Animal Control found dead in the park.

Police said officers who responded to the call also found Dalton's unoccupied vehicle in the park.

A neighbor said his dog, which was in the stolen car, was found about a mile from the scene of the carjacking.

Photos and videos from the scene of the crash at Brighton Playfield show damage to the side of the vehicle. The windshield on the driver's side of the vehicle was also damaged and the rear window appeared to be smashed. Investigators were working to tow the victim's vehicle from the scene at approximately 5:35 p.m.

Anyone with information is asked to call SPD's Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

This story will continue to develop and will be updated during the press conference at 4 p.m. Wednesday. Check back later for updates.