On September 17, 1977, 47-year-old Donald E. Hellie was found dead in his Poulsbo, Washington, living room after a violently frenzied attack. Blood was spattered through the room; an autopsy recorded 21 superficial stab wounds to the head, chest, and abdomen, and a single stab to the left lung that proved fatal. He had also been bludgeoned.

Neighbors described Hellie as pleasant and timid who kept to himself. His 6th Avenue home had become a known gathering place for local teenagers who drank and partied there; Hellie reportedly struggled with alcohol and sometimes drank with those teens, at times passing out, and it was suspected some guests stole money and valuables from him.

Investigators identified 18 persons of interest early on; decades later 15 of them were still alive and cold case detectives revisited the list. In 2018 investigators said they had a prime suspect who was already incarcerated for other offenses, but no charges in Hellie’s death had been filed.

If anyone knew Hellie, visited that 6th Avenue house, or remembers the night of September 16–17, 1977, please share what can help the investigation.