On the late evening of March 28, 2018, a burst of gunfire in the parking lot of an apartment complex on Ambaum Boulevard Southwest in Burien, Washington ended the lives of 19-year-old Eveona Cortez and her 13-year-old friend Elizabeth Juarez. The King County Sheriff’s Office was called about 8:30 p.m. and found both victims unresponsive on the ground.

Investigators concluded the shooting was a targeted, gang-related incident. Prosecutors later said the immediate motive involved retaliation for graffiti tagging aimed at a gang member who lived at the complex. Charging documents allege Juarez was the intended target and that Cortez, who had no involvement in the tagging, was killed as collateral. In June 2021 the King County Prosecuting Attorney charged Francisco I. Montero with two counts of first-degree murder; Montero was already in custody for an unrelated 2017 homicide. The investigation into other possible participants remains open.

If anyone knew Eveona, Elizabeth, or saw activity in that parking lot that night, please share what can help the inquiry.