On February 20, 2016, Jessica Ann Marie Ortega, a 27-year-old Hispanic female, was tragically killed in a shooting in Lakewood, Washington. A loving mother of two, Jessica was a licensed practical nurse at the University Place Care Center, having recently graduated from Clover Park. Her life was cut short by her estranged boyfriend, 41-year-old Marco Perea, in a devastating act of domestic violence.
In the days leading up to her death, Jessica had taken steps to protect herself, fearing
for her life. On February 17, Perea had held a gun to her head for an extended period, telling her it was her time to die. This prompted her to flee and report the incident to the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. The day before she was killed, she filed for a temporary protection order against Perea, detailing the terrifying ordeal in her petition. She expressed concern for her safety and the well-being of her children, recognizing Perea's psychological issues but prioritizing her need for protection.
Despite her efforts, on the morning of February 20, as Jessica was beginning her shift at the nursing home, Perea confronted her and shot her multiple times. He then fled the scene, leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase down Interstate 5. During the pursuit, Perea fired at officers. The chase ended in a shootout near Tillicum after police used a maneuver to stop his vehicle. When Perea exited his car and engaged the officers, twelve officers from multiple agencies returned fire, killing him at the scene.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, Jessica's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Pierce County, alleging that the Sheriff's Department had failed to protect her despite her repeated pleas for help and the knowledge that Perea was a violent felon with a GPS ankle monitor. The lawsuit contended that more could have been done to apprehend him in the days between her initial report and her murder. In November 2018, Pierce County agreed to a $7.8 million settlement with Jessica's family, a sum intended to provide for her two children.
