Man allegedly killed dog handler in Seattle who was previously considered a “high-risk case” for future crimes

LOS ANGELES — The man accused of stealing a car and killing an 80-year-old woman in Seattle was previously admitted to the state's psychiatric hospital, where doctors expressed concern about his risk of committing violent acts.

Jahmed K. Haynes, 48, is in prison for murder and animal cruelty. Investigators say he stole 80-year-old Ruth Dalton's car and ran her over in Seattle's Madison Valley on Tuesday. He then stabbed her dog to death and disposed of the body in a trash can in a park.

Haynes was arrested by a SWAT team on Wednesday after leaving a Capitol Hill psychiatric hospital.

Haynes' crime story

According to court records, Haynes was first charged with unauthorized theft of a motor vehicle in 1991.

In 1993, he was arrested and convicted of involuntary manslaughter in King County Superior Court. He was sentenced to prison in July 1993 and released in December 1994.

According to court records, Haynes was convicted of drug offenses in 1995 and sentenced to prison that same year. The Washington Department of Corrections (DOC) said Haynes remained in prison until September 1998 and was then released into custody.

Six months later, he was taken back into DOC custody for violating his release conditions. He remained in custody until May 1999.

That same year, Haynes was arrested again for a robbery in Renton. In October 1999, he was sentenced to prison for first-degree robbery.

WATCH HERE: Seattle Police Announce Arrest in Murder of 80-Year-Old Dog Handler

Attack on prison officer

In 2003, while incarcerated at Monroe State Prison, Haynes attacked a correctional officer with a knife during a cell inspection. According to the indictment filed in Snohomish County Superior Court, staff noticed that a piece of metal was missing from a ping pong table in the prison gym.

Four inmates were suspected of having the piece of metal, and each of their cells was searched. When the correctional officer entered Haynes' cell, Haynes was carrying a 12-inch metal shaft, according to the indictment.

The officer fell onto his back and defended himself against Haynes with a clipboard. According to the indictment, Haynes stabbed the officer in the torso and legs during the attack. The officer was able to retreat to a safe area and Haynes was subdued by a specialized prison team using a less-lethal weapon.

WATCH HERE | Community mourns 80-year-old car theft victim at growing memorial in Madison Valley

Haynes admitted to Western State Hospital

After the attack on the prison guard, Haynes was admitted to Western State Hospital in Pierce County, where he was treated for mental illness. In 2005, a forensic psychologist determined that Haynes was competent to stand trial.

The doctor found that Haynes had progressed with his treatment and was not showing active symptoms of serious mental illness. The report said his behavior in hospital had been “appropriate” and there were “signs of good social support.”

“It is important to note, however, that Mr. Haynes has stated that he does not intend to continue taking his medication if he is returned to prison. Because the likelihood of decompensation is high if he stops taking his medication, it is imperative that Mr. Hynes continue to take his medication as prescribed in prison so that he maintains his current ability to stand trial,” the report said.

The report further stated that Haynes attacked the correctional officer in protest of the medications he was involuntarily administered. The psychologist determined that Haynes was a “medium risk” for future serious dangerous behavior.

“I also believe that he is currently at high risk of committing criminal acts that endanger public safety in the future due to his past illegal conduct, his lack of insight into his psychiatric condition, his intent to discontinue medication, his personality disorder and his possible drug problem,” the report said.

Released from supervision

After being convicted of assault on a correctional officer, Haynes remained in prison until his release in 2017. His supervised release reports noted that he was in compliance and had completed the DOC's cognitive behavioral modification program.

“Mr. Haynes completed all required tasks and actively participated in classroom activities and discussions,” a 2018 DOC report said. “He was able to verbalize how his thinking guided his past behavior and how using his new skills could reduce his risk of reoffending.”

According to DOC, Haynes' supervised release ended in July 2018.

Court records in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties do not indicate that any new charges have been filed against him since his release from prison.

Next steps in the murder case

Seattle police maintain Tuesday's carjacking was random and that Haynes did not know Ruth Dalton before attacking her in her car. At a news conference Wednesday, Seattle Police Deputy Chief Eric Barden said investigators found Haynes' fingerprints on Dalton's phone and that he had her car keys on him at the time of his arrest.

Seattle police booked Haynes into jail Wednesday afternoon. His first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, but prosecutors said he is expected to be represented by a public defender and will not appear in person.

The King County District Attorney's Office said Haynes' bail may be set Friday. Once Seattle police investigators forward her case to the District Attorney's Office, it will be reviewed for possible charges.