Montisha Tesh Offord was 27 when she was fatally shot in Renton, Washington, on August 21, 2021. The night began with a barbecue in Seattle and continued at a Renton bar with her boyfriend, 38-year-old Vaughn Alexander Weems. An argument between the couple escalated after Weems allegedly forced Offord from his vehicle. A friend drove her to the Echo Mountain Apartments where Weems was parked; witnesses saw a heated exchange in the complex’s parking lot and then heard a single gunshot. Offord was shot once in the chest, taken by bystanders to Valley Medical Center, and died about an hour after arrival.

Weems fled and a 41-day manhunt ended with his arrest at a Tukwila hotel in early October. He was charged with second-degree murder with a domestic violence designation; prosecutors noted an extensive criminal history including numerous prior convictions and past domestic violence offenses. The defense maintains Weems acted in self-defense, saying Offord sent threatening texts and he believed she was reaching for a weapon that proved to be a can of mace. A mistrial was declared in August 2025 after jurors conducted outside research; a new trial was set for October.

Does anyone have information about the Echo Mountain Apartments parking lot that could shed light on the events that night?