
Jeffrey Nelson, a former Auburn police officer, is set for sentencing following his conviction for the shooting death of a homeless man, Jesse Sarey, outside a convenience store back in 2019. KOMO News reported that a King County jury found Nelson guilty of second-degree murder and first-degree assault, indictments cemented under a Washington law that bolstered the prosecution of law enforcement officers in on-duty killings.
Details regarding the lead-up to Sarey's death surfaced during the trial, revealing that Nelson engaged in a physical altercation with him before firing the fatal shots. According to MyNorthwest, Nelson reportedly punched Sarey several times after he did not comply with arrest for disorderly behavior, which included throwing garbage and causing a disturbance in a shopping area. The shooting, which was captured on surveillance video, occurred when Nelson drew his gun during the scuffle, initially shooting Sarey in the torso and, after his gun jammed and he cleared the malfunction, firing a second shot into Sarey's head.
The sentencing is set to take place today at the Maleng Regional Justice Center in Kent. As KIRO 7 outlined, Special Prosecutor Patty Eakes highlighted the gravity of Nelson's actions during her closing argument, stating, "Jesse Sarey died because this defendant chose to disregard his training at every step of the way." Eakes emphasized, “The shooting of Jesse Sarey was unnecessary, unreasonable and unjustified.”