In the late afternoon of November 26, 2019, 35-year-old Caucasian female, Tiffany Ojeda Hill, a United States Marine Corps veteran and mother of three, was fatally shot while in her minivan in the parking lot of Sarah J. Anderson Elementary School in Vancouver, Washington. At the time of the attack, her three children and her mother, Aurea Conde, were also in the vehicle.
Conde sustained gunshot wounds but survived the ordeal; the children were not physically harmed but witnessed the tragic event.
The perpetrator was identified as Tiffany's estranged husband, 38-year-old Keland Hill. After shooting his wife, Keland fled the scene in his own vehicle, leading police on a brief chase before taking his own life. His death was later confirmed at a local hospital. The incident was the culmination of a period of escalating domestic violence and stalking that Tiffany had endured.
In the months preceding her death, Tiffany had taken legal steps to protect herself and her children. She had secured a no-contact order against Keland after he assaulted her on September 11, 2019, an incident that resulted in a concussion. Despite the order, Keland repeatedly violated its terms. These violations included attempts to contact her and the placement of a GPS tracking device on her car, which was discovered on November 7. This discovery led to Keland's arrest for stalking.
Prosecutors, gravely concerned for Tiffany's safety, argued for a high bail of $2 million, expressing their belief that Keland would kill her if released. A danger assessment had placed Keland in the "extreme risk" category for committing violence. Tiffany herself had expressed profound fear for her life in a statement to the court, pleading for him to be kept in custody. Despite these warnings, a judge set his bail at $250,000. Keland posted bail on November 21, just five days before he murdered Tiffany. On the very day of the shooting, he had appeared in court to request permission to travel for work, a request that was granted.
