In the spring of 2013, the life of 24-year-old Justine Elizabeth Baez was tragically cut short in a violent event that shook the community of Federal Way, Washington. On the evening of April 21, what began as a domestic dispute escalated into a mass shooting, leaving four innocent people dead, including Justine. At the time of her death, she was a vibrant young woman on the cusp of a bright future, preparing to graduate from Highline Community College and recently accepted into the business
programs at both the University of Washington-Tacoma and Central Washington University.
The perpetrator was identified as Justine's 27-year-old live-in boyfriend, Dennis Clark III. In their apartment at the Pinewood Village complex, Clark shot and killed Justine. He then continued his rampage in the parking lot, where he encountered and fatally shot two men, 47-year-old Bradley Fischer and 23-year-old Ceasar Valdovinos, who had confronted him. Clark then forced his way into a neighboring apartment and killed 62-year-old Roland Scobee.
The violent spree ended when Federal Way police officers arrived at the scene. After a confrontation, Clark was shot and killed by the officers. The investigation that followed revealed a history of verbal domestic violence calls involving Clark, though none had resulted in his arrest. The motive for the initial murder of Justine was determined to be related to domestic violence, with the subsequent killings potentially being an attempt to eliminate witnesses. The tragic event left the community in mourning and sparked conversations about the devastating consequences of domestic violence.
