In the late hours of April 3, 2020, the life of 28-year-old Kelsea Carlson, a Caucasian female, was tragically cut short in her Tacoma, Washington, home. What began as a planned drug transaction descended into violence, leaving Carlson dead and her fiancé wounded. The incident unfolded in the 1400 block of South Union Street, where Carlson had arranged to sell half a pound of methamphetamine.
Earlier that evening, Carlson had used her father's social media account to find a buyer,
connecting with a woman named Tabby Lynne Thomas. Thomas, along with two men, Mitchell Tyler Nichols and Douglas William Dunlap, arrived at Carlson's residence with the alleged intention of robbing her. Surveillance footage from the home captured the arrival of the trio and their subsequent departure, with Dunlap holding a gun. At some point during the deal, an altercation broke out. Nichols reportedly felt something was amiss, and Dunlap then drew his weapon and opened fire. Carlson was struck by two bullets and died at the scene. Her fiancé was shot twice in the leg but survived after undergoing surgery.
In the aftermath of the shooting, a swift police investigation led to the arrest of the three suspects. Douglas Dunlap, the gunman, was charged with and later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree assault. He was sentenced to 29 years in prison. Mitchell Tyler Nichols pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree burglary, receiving a sentence of 29 years and 10 months. Tabby Lynne Thomas, who had arranged the drug deal, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter, second-degree assault, and conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance. She was sentenced to 11 years and six months in prison.
Family members, in a letter to the court, shared that Carlson had a history of involvement with drugs, a path she was introduced to by her father. However, they emphasized that she had also experienced periods of sobriety and was a loving mother to her young daughter. She had moved out of state for a time, focusing on being a parent and had even become a manager at her job. Her return to the Tacoma area was prompted by her fiancé's job offer, a move that tragically placed her in the path of the events that would lead to her untimely death.
