On the morning of August 20, 2015, 49-year-old Debra Christie of Bellingham, Washington, was fatally shot in the head on the deck of her Otis Street apartment. The weapon was a .32-caliber firearm. The shooting occurred shortly after Christie had introduced her 11-year-old son to a man she knew as Raymond.

The shooter was later identified as Raymond Hamilton Gilbert III, then 33. Gilbert had been emotionally distressed in the days before the killing and had been arguing with his ex-girlfriend about their child. The attack appears to have been tied to an unrelated dispute between Christie and Gilbert’s friend Barry Williamson; Christie had obtained a restraining order against Williamson after he allegedly threatened her for complaining about loud music, and Williamson was arrested for violating that order days before the homicide.

After the shooting Gilbert fled, told a neighbor I just shot his grandma, and sent Williamson a text saying I love you you’ll never have to worry about the bitch again. He later called his father to confess and surrendered at Whatcom County Jail at 4:49 a.m. Evidence recovered included .32-caliber shell casings matching a casing found at the scene. Does anyone have information about Christie’s life in the complex or about that night that could help clarify what happened?