On February 1, 1998, the body of 34-year-old Antoinette Jones, a female, was discovered behind a business near Poplar Place South and South Bush Street in Seattle, Washington. Forensic analysis later determined that she had been strangled and tied up approximately three months prior to the discovery of her body. Her wrists and ankles were bound with shoelaces, and a shoelace was also found around her neck.
Jones was one of several women who had fallen victim to a string of brutal killings in the Seattle area.
The investigation into her death, along with the deaths of two other women, led police to DeWayne Lee Harris. At the time, Harris was already incarcerated at the King County Jail on an unrelated robbery charge. In a surprising turn of events, Harris himself contacted a detective, claiming to have information about one of the other murders. This communication ultimately led to his confession to the murders of all three women. According to court documents, Harris strangled Antoinette Jones with a leather belt after accusing her of stealing drugs from him.
DeWayne Lee Harris was subsequently charged with three counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Antoinette Jones, Denise Marie Harris, and Olivia Smith. During his trial, Harris exhibited erratic and defiant behavior, at times shouting obscenities and requiring restraint. He was ultimately convicted on all three counts of first-degree murder. In January 1999, he was sentenced to 94 years in prison for his crimes. At his sentencing, he remained chillingly defiant, expressing no remorse for his actions and taunting the court by stating that imprisonment would not prevent him from enjoying certain privileges like watching television and walking in the prison yard.
