SEATAC, Wash. — A suspect charged in a deadly SeaTac stabbing is believed to be connected to other stabbings on trains or near light rail stations in Seattle, according to charging documents.
Jimmy Lee Gorman, 27, was charged with second-degree murder after allegedly stabbing Willy Mbugua, 24, on Oct. 30.
Mbugua died after reporting his own stabbing to 911 in SeaTac. King County Communication Center received a call from a man who reported he had been stabbed near the 18200 block of International Boulevard South at around 11:14 p.m.
Prior to the stabbing, police said Gorman was sitting across Mbugua on a King County Metro bus. Surveillance footage released by King County Metro showed Gorman thrusting a knife towards Mbugua's neck and holding it there. Gorman exited the bus, while Mbugua got off one stop later. The victim called 911 less than 10 minutes after he got off the bus, according to police.
Gorman admitted to authorities that he pulled a knife on Mbugua, threatened his life and stabbed him. According to charging documents, Mbugua went up to the suspect and tried to shake his hand.
But Gorman told police "he got scared and didn't want to take a chance," so he stabbed the 24-year-old in the chest.
Investigators identified Gorman as the suspect in another stabbing six days before the SeaTac incident because he matched the description detailed in the video. In the Oct. 24 stabbing, police said Gorman followed the victim off the train and repeatedly stabbed him. Authorities believe Gorman could be the suspect in stabbings at the International District and Angle Lake light rail stations.
“This is the only case involving this defendant that’s been referred to us at this point. If there’s additional cases or information sent to us by the sheriff’s office we’ll act on it right away,” said Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors requested a $1 million bail for Gorman.
“This is concerning because people should feel safe whether they’re on a bus or any part of King County. We wanted to make sure to get this information before the court as quickly as possible. We want people to feel safe and know that prosecutors are doing what they can when these cases are sent to us,” McNerthney said.