Dori M. Cordova, a 31-year-old single mother, was in a period of struggle, striving to create a better life for herself and her young son. Having lost her office job, she found herself without steady employment and residing at the Jensonia Hotel in Seattle, a place she and her son dreamed of leaving. Their situation became more precarious when two fires rendered the hotel uninhabitable, forcing them to seek temporary shelter at the Miller Community Center on Capitol Hill, which was being
operated by the Red Cross. It was during this turbulent time that a man named Lawrence Owens entered their lives, just three weeks before the tragic events that would unfold.
On Wednesday, March 17, 2004, Dori's fight for a new beginning was violently cut short. At the community center, a place that was supposed to be a safe haven, she was shot and killed by Lawrence Owens, a 43-year-old registered sex offender with a history of violence. Owens had reportedly been trying to persuade Dori to leave with him. On that fateful day, as a family support specialist was on their way to help Dori move to a new place, Owens arrived first.
The confrontation escalated, and Owens fatally shot Dori. When police officers arrived at the scene, they discovered Owens reloading his shotgun just a few feet away from Dori's body. When Owens pointed his weapon at the officers, they shot and killed him. The life of a mother, described by those who knew her as wonderful and articulate, was tragically ended, leaving her 10-year-old son without the person he was incredibly close to.
