In the quiet community of Spanaway, Washington, a tragedy unfolded on the night of October 9, 2025, claiming the life of Thomas Nardy Hayes, a 57-year-old man. The events of that evening were confined to a residence in the 20600 block of 7th Avenue Court East, where neighbors grew concerned after hearing the sound of gunshots. When calls to the home went unanswered, the Pierce County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the scene at approximately 10:41 p.m.
Upon their arrival, deputies
were met with a silent home. Forcing entry, they discovered a grim scene inside. Thomas Hayes was found deceased, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the torso. The Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office would later confirm his identity and rule his death a homicide. Alongside him was 54-year-old Dawn Jones, also a resident of Spanaway, who was found deceased from a gunshot wound to the head in what was determined to be a suicide.
A surviving witness to the tragedy, a 14-year-old girl, was found physically unharmed, hiding in a bedroom closet. She was subsequently released into the care of her family. Investigators from the Pierce County Sheriff's Office have indicated that they are not seeking any outstanding suspects in the case. The preliminary investigation suggests that the incident was a murder-suicide, contained entirely within the home.
The community was left to grapple with the sudden and violent loss of two of its members. Thomas Hayes, known to some as "Nardy," was remembered as a bus driver who had attended Paramount High School in Paramount, California. The investigation into the circumstances that led to the tragic events of that October night concluded with the determination that no other individuals were involved.
