A man apparently obsessed with a special education teacher he knew from college shot and killed her as she walked into her elementary school Friday, shortly before students began arriving.
The suspect was killed in a shootout with a deputy a short time later about 10 miles away, said Pierce County sheriff's spokesman Ed Troyer.
The man had been released on bail Monday after being arrested a week ago for violating a protective order the teacher, Jennifer Paulson, obtained in September 2008, said Tacoma police spokesman Mark Fulghum.
The victim's father, Ken Paulson, said she was kind and loving, and that's probably why she was a special education teacher. He described the 30-year-old as a devout Christian.
The father said the man who killed his daughter was Jed Waits, of Ellensburg. The two had apparently known each other since she was in college, when they worked together at a cafeteria at Seattle Pacific University.
In her petition for the anti-harassment order filed in Pierce County District Court, Paulson said she and Waits occasionally socialized with co-workers and friends outside of work as a group but "never had any sort of romantic involvement."
She said she heard from Waits about once a year since she graduated from college in 2003, but on the days she heard from him, he would sometimes call 10 to 15 times in one day.
Then in spring 2008, he showed up at her school, walked into the building and passed the office, where he was stopped by a secretary.
Ellensburg Police Department and Judicials FAIL AGAIN
Waits had been stalking this lady for years with a very well documented record of assaults and "creepy" behavior - but the teacher was not his only focus. Several other women who rented from his parents apts (which Waits sometimes managed). They too made police reports to EPD but those reports were never given much more than a glance at the incident(s). So the question is not WHO dropped the ball and cost this woman her life and the man his; the question is HOW MANY dropped the ball. Certainly with multiple incidents EPD would have been prepared to take stronger measures: Had they shown the judge at Waits' arraignment his RECENT or long term record involving assaults and protection orders would they not have taken stronger measures, ordered a mental evaluation, or simply enforced the restraining orders Ellensburg Police were quite aware of? Clearly the presiding Judge did not "drop the ball" that Judge SPIKED the ball in a game where two people died needlessly. The PROSECUTOR: why didnt the prosecutor in Ellensburg emphasize the facts and make very clear Waits' was a danger to others and himself? Simply glancing at Waits' recent history should have given them all ample evidence to take action there was after all at least 3 cities, thier respective police depts, prosecutors, and judges involved. These same critisisms apply to each citys' judicials.
CLEARLY the teacher took every possible precaution (as suggested by police) and Waits was going to do what he was determined to do if he was released; so the only real solution would have been to order a mental eval and get Waits the help he needed - they had every opportunity to do so since 2008 through 2010. Articles and interviews mention many times "Waits was a regular guy, a normal kid" and "who would have thought Waits was capable of this" - of course those comments came from a preacher (do you think a preacher would have said "that guy is a crazy stalker and assaults people") and interviewers had to go back to Jr. High and High school days for Waits to have those comments of being a regular or normal kid. Are we really expected to believe that Waits' parents were unaware of his behavior - they helped pay his bail, were contacted by police and renters, not to mention they have known him from birth. Why didnt EPD make the other renters and Waits' parents (who own the rentals thier son managed for them) aware of him.
Why didnt police after the fact do a full investigation as to what level of madness Waits had; I am not a policeman nor trained in investigations and on my own I found these things (see videos). Had they done a decent investigation and taken the time to look at his "graphic novel" artwork and storyline combined with his record/background stronger measures would have been taken.
STORY FOLLOW-UP:
The day after this happend I was in a local store and chatting with the cashier (as I usually do) and she told me this story. "My landlord was shot..." and she explained. "I wonder if he had cameras in my apt could you come and check it out"?" One room had a blacklight and some of it shone on the wall, I noticed something odd and had her bring the light in closer. The video below shows only part of it all. FULL STORY is the Thursday before the shooting (friday)after weeks of not being there Waits return to his small 'mother-in-law' house about 10 yards behing a rental house Waits managed for his parents. This time he has a locksmith with him to get inside. The renter noticed that a light was on in the basement until early in the morning when she saw that his car was gone - that friday morning both were shot dead..
LOCAL REPORTS describe Waits as a "regular guy" ... not in the least true at all. He wouldnt let any female tennants have male visitors and seriously assaulted several boyfriends; Waits had been arrested several times for that as well as violating protection orders. The victim also talked to Waits' CO in the National Guard at some point.
below is a rough copy of the video and a few stills including examples from his "graphic novel" 'A Captain's Tale" which he created and lettered by hand himself and paid to have it published - it was unsuccessfull. However for handwriting/artwork comparision they are great. The basic story is an angry sea captain with a small companion who mouth is always taped shut and an adventure on an island. This island has multiple "vaginal/anal" archways/halls with large locked doors and giant penis head Easter Island statues. The enitire thing has a "yellow submarine" effect to it.
THESE are exerpts from the graphic novel text:
The journey of one lone wanderer...the story of a new century!
Raised an only child borne into this desolate wilderness, Jed Waits {the captain} has traversed the globe in search of wisdom and elusive insight. Pen in hand and notebook by his side, our intrepid author has set out to explore vast, uncharted realms within the world of the graphic novel.
Tuesday, Nov 03, 2009
Day 10
We find ourselves travelling through a narrow tunnel...yet another entrance is revealed...a labyrinth into the very heart of this forbidden place...
- Jed Waits. 11:06:15 PM
Sunday, Nov 01, 2009
Day 9
A Gateway is revealed...an entrance into a new dimension...what lies beyond these doors? What compels our curiosity? Who established this place? We are captivated by the remnants of a lost culture...a world apart from time...this is the Point of No Return...
- Jed Waits. 8:03:54 PM
Thursday, Oct 29, 2009
Day 8
A virtual moonscape lays before us as we venture further into this alien realm, complete with jagged saw-tooth rocks towering like ominous souls...a lifeless realm not fit for human habitation...a sanctum preserved in infinite history...
- Jed Waits. 8:32:35 PM
Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009
Day 7
An island once teeming with life, now empty...Mystery encapsulates this place...Who were these people? How did they conduct their lives? What stories did they tell? What caused their disappearance? Such questions surface as we begin to explore this place...a riddle wrapped in time...
- Jed Waits. 10:37:31 PM
Sunday, Oct 18, 2009
Day 2
Our story begins - appropriately enough - on the high seas, where our fearless captain is aboard his ship, surveying the horizon. What new adventures lie ahead? What does the future hold? Such questions surface as we, the reader, begin our journey..."Home Away from Home"...
- Jed Waits. 10:48:02 PM
Saturday, Oct 17, 2009
Day 1
When I set out to create "A Captain's Tale," I wanted it to be an adventure story narrated from the point of view of our heroic captain. Each page throughout the story is different, compelling the reader to see what's next. Along the journey, our narrator captain encounters various seemingly-insurmountable obstacles in his relentless pursuit of truth. Each page is a doorway to the next, allowing our fearless reader to enter further to discover what lies ahead...
This product was added to our catalog on Wednesday 10 March, 2010.