On the evening of September 12, 2023, Rudolph King III, a 23-year-old male, was driving in Fife, Washington, while on the phone with his parents. The call abruptly ended mid-sentence, and shortly after, his family received an SOS notification from his Apple Watch. Initially, the scene at the intersection of 70th Avenue East and 20th Street East appeared to be a single-vehicle accident. King's car had struck several light poles, trees, and a fire hydrant before coming to a stop.
First responders found him unresponsive in his vehicle and he was declared dead at the scene.
Further investigation by the Fife Police Department revealed that the incident was not a mere traffic accident. It was discovered that King had sustained a single gunshot wound to the head, which was the actual cause of his death. The investigation concluded that he was shot while driving, causing him to lose control of his car. Authorities described the shooting as a random and violent attack, as there was no evidence to suggest any prior altercation or that King knew his assailants. King, a resident of Milton and a graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, was an active-duty officer with the Army National Guard.
The investigation led police to identify two suspects in the killing. In December 2023, 29-year-old Andrew Lautogia Fonoti was arrested by a SWAT team at a hotel in Kent. He was considered the primary suspect and the alleged shooter. Prosecutors charged Fonoti with first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, drive-by shooting, and unlawful possession of a stolen vehicle and a firearm. Witnesses reportedly told investigators that Fonoti had bragged about the shooting.
In May 2024, a second suspect, 18-year-old Jedidiah Taimi, was also charged with first-degree murder and other related offenses for his alleged role as an accomplice in the drive-by shooting. Evidence linking Taimi to the crime included a palm print found on the stolen Toyota Camry that was used by the suspects. Both Fonoti and Taimi had pleas of not guilty entered on their behalf, and their bails were set at $1.5 million each.
