EDMONDS, Wash. — Two people were arrested Saturday in connection to the deadly shooting of a 7-Eleven clerk in Edmonds on February 21. A man and woman were taken into custody March 14 after a 5-hour standoff with police.
Both suspects were arrested on outstanding warrants after a SWAT team pumped tear gas into their Enumclaw home.
A 23-year-old man with 10 felony convictions and his 24-year-old girlfriend are suspected in the murder of a 64-year-old store clerk.
Police are not naming the couple because they have not been formally charged with the killing. They are calling the pair "persons of interest." Both were taken into custody for unrelated warrants for identity theft and robbery.
Sources said formal charges in connection to the murder could be imminent.
Investigators said they also found the suspected getaway car at the Enumclaw property.
"We have taken a huge step in ensuring the safety of the public, but we're not done," said Edmonds Police Sgt. Josh McClure. "We also know there are people who know these people. They might feel more comfortable now coming forward and saying something."
Surveillance video captured the moment a man stormed into the 7-Eleven on Highway 99 in Edmonds, jumped up on the counter and shot the clerk to death.
The worker was identified as 64-year old "Nagi" Kandasamy, who died while working one of his two jobs to put his children through college.
Sgt. McClure said it was a combination of tips from the public and old-fashioned police work that led to the arrests.
"Our detectives, what a group. I don't know when they got any sleep. If they did, it was in chunks of 45 minutes to a couple hours. Then they came right back in. They know there's so much more work to do."
Investigators are still trying to piece together a motive for the murder.
Detectives said nothing was stolen from the store.
A member of the victim's family told KING 5 they moved away, fearing for their safety, adding, "We are very grateful for the work of the Edmonds police force. We are watching the situation closely and want the perpetrators of the crime brought to justice."
Anyone with information about the case should contact police at 425-771-0212 or policetips@edmondswa.gov.
