Teresa Ryan, 46, was shot to death in Puyallup, Washington, on January 18, 2016. Known to coworkers at the Pierce County District Court and to friends and family as quick-witted and loyal, she was killed in her driveway while returning home with her 5-year-old daughter. The child was in the backseat and witnessed the shooting; a younger daughter ran to a neighbor’s house for help and was physically unharmed.

Authorities say the shooter was 19-year-old Austin Moores Nelson, the ex-boyfriend of Ryan’s teenage daughter. Reports describe a pattern of escalating conduct in the weeks before the murder, including a home break-in with firearms taken, vandalism of the daughter’s car, online posting of explicit images, and a recent breakup that concerned Ryan and prompted her to tell Nelson to stay away. Nelson allegedly forced his way into the house after the shooting and fatally shot the family dog.

Nelson was arrested the same day at his grandfather’s home in Tacoma. He initially pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree burglary, and first-degree animal cruelty; court filings later show a guilty plea and a sentence exceeding 42 years. Ryan’s family later sued Pierce County, alleging the Sheriff’s Department failed to adequately investigate Nelson’s prior behavior. Does anyone have information about the weeks of escalation that preceded this killing?