In the early hours of May 9, 2016, a sense of normalcy was shattered at the Arcadia Townhomes and Apartments in Federal Way, Washington. Alex J. Kelley, a 26-year-old male resident, was at a friend's apartment. He stepped out onto the back patio to have a cigarette, a simple act that tragically became his last. While he was on the porch, his friends inside heard a loud bang. Kelley frantically came back inside, stating he had been shot, and then collapsed on the floor.
He had sustained a gunshot wound to his back and was pronounced dead at the scene by medical personnel who responded to reports of gunfire around 1:00 a.m. in the 1300 block of SW Campus Drive.
The initial investigation into Kelley's death left his friends and family grappling with a senseless act of violence. He was remembered as the life of the party and a dedicated supporter of the local metal music scene. His murder was the first in a string of three homicides that occurred in Federal Way within a 48-hour period, heightening community fears. The seemingly random nature of the killing left investigators with few immediate leads, and for a time, the case remained unsolved, adding to the anguish of his loved ones, including his young daughter.
Two years later, in May 2018, a significant breakthrough in the investigation brought long-awaited answers. The Federal Way Police Department announced that they had identified suspects in connection with a series of homicides that had plagued the community in the spring of 2016, including the death of Alex Kelley. The primary suspect in Kelley’s murder was identified as Justice Harrison, who was 17 at the time of the killing. According to investigators, Harrison had allegedly been casing cars in the apartment complex's parking lot. He spotted Kelley on the porch and, believing Kelley had seen him, ran around the building before approaching from behind and shooting him once with a. 357 revolver.
Prosecutors alleged that Kelley's murder was a "thrill killing." Harrison was reportedly bragging to acquaintances about the shootings. He was charged with first-degree murder for Kelley’s death, as well as for the deaths of three other individuals in what was described as a killing spree. At the time the charges were announced, Harrison was already incarcerated, serving a sentence for an attempted murder that occurred during the same period. Another individual, Kamajah Skannal, was charged in connection with one of the other homicides that occurred on the same day as Kelley's death. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to a community that had been deeply affected by these violent acts.
