On July 1, 2018, the body of 21-year-old Mohamed H. Adan, a Black male from Seattle, Washington, was discovered by passersby in the brush near Blue Stilly Park in Arlington. An autopsy would later reveal the brutal nature of his death; he had been shot seven times, twice in the foot and five times in the chest. In addition to the gunshot wounds, his face was bruised and swollen, he had been burned with cigarettes, bound with an electrical cord, and beaten with a baseball bat.
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investigation into Adan's murder quickly became entangled with another homicide that occurred just two days later. On July 3, the body of 22-year-old Ezekiel M. Kelly was found in Mukilteo. Kelly had been stabbed 27 times and shot three times in the head. Investigators from the Snoh-omish County Sheriff's Office and the Mukilteo police determined that the two murders were connected, alleging that a group of friends had worked together to carry out the violent acts. The motive behind the killings appeared to be a volatile mix of jealousy and accusations of "snitching."
Three suspects were arrested in connection with the murders: 18-year-old Anthony Hernandez-Cano, 20-year-old Hassani H. Hassani, and a 21-year-old woman. Hernandez-Cano was identified as the primary suspect in Adan's death. According to court documents, Hernandez-Cano had been in jail on domestic violence allegations and was bailed out by his girlfriend. She reportedly told him that one of the victims had been paying unwanted attention to her, which authorities believe set off the chain of violent events. Investigators were told that Hernandez-Cano believed Adan had "snitched" on him regarding a no-contact order with his girlfriend. This belief, coupled with jealousy, allegedly led to Adan's abduction and torture.
Surveillance footage from a fire station near Blue Stilly Park captured a vehicle associated with Hernandez-Cano's girlfriend, providing a crucial lead for detectives. This evidence led to the arrests of Hernandez-Cano, Hassani, and the girlfriend. Hernandez-Cano was charged with first-degree murder and kidnapping. He later pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated murder for the deaths of both Adan and Kelly. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Hassani and the female suspect also faced charges related to the murders.
