Fifteen years have gone by with no tips to help Whatcom County Sheriff's detectives solve an Everson man’s homicide. Even so, detectives say they are close to solving the case.
On July 28, 2009, Jeff Little was found dead in the front seat of his pickup truck on Massey Road. The 34-year-old had been shot to death. Detectives found at least 11 bullet holes in his truck, three of which struck Little.
Who pulled the trigger?
'It was definitely a murder that was set up and involved more than one person'
Jeff Little worked as a commercial fisherman in Alaska but returned to Washington in July to get medical attention for an injury in his hometown.
"He was in the engine room, and he hurt his knee, and he had to come home to have it looked at," his brother, Joel Little, said. "In less than 24 hours of him being home, he was gone."
Joel and Jeff Little worked together as fishermen in Alaska.
“He was always my best friend and later in life when we were fishing, I was running the boat, and he was my right-hand man,” Joel said.
While he was in town, Jeff Little went out to dinner with friends then to a local bar for a few drinks. A suspicious person was seen with Little moments before he decided to drive home and none of Little’s friends who were there that night could identify him.
According to Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Ken Gates, Little arrived at the bar around 9:30 p.m., had a few drinks and a smoke then left in his truck. He took Lincoln Street to make his way to Highway 9.
“The person responsible for his murder knew it,” Gates said. “It could be possible that someone was following him.”
Officials said Little was driving on Massey Road when he was shot multiple times, then his truck rolled into the guardrail.
The chief deputy of investigations for WCSO, Erik Francis, said at least one witness reported seeing a vehicle leave the scene of the shooting.
“It definitely was a murder that was set up and involved more than one person,” said Francis.
Francis believes the shooter or shooters had inside information about Little and his whereabouts.
Investigators could rule out robbery as a motive, as Little’s cash-filled wallet was discovered at the scene. They could also determine by the location of the shell casings found at the scene where the shooter was when the crime occurred.
“All the shell casings recovered were in the eastbound lane, so that gives us information that it’s possible where the shooter was standing, so it’s possible the vehicle was in the opposite lane and came to the guardrail,” Francis said.
Detectives provided the Unsolved Northwest team with never-before-seen photos from the crime scene:
Unsolved Northwest: Who killed Jeff Little?
Detectives say they are 'really close' to solving the case
Detectives went to Mary Beth Hadeen’s home that night to tell her what had happened to her son--that he was killed.
"He said 'your son was killed'. And I said 'that was my baby' and I said the only way I'll get through this was with my heavenly father," Hadeen said.
Then, she had to tell Joel that his brother and best friend was killed.
"That was the worst call I've ever had to make," Hadeen said.
Fifteen years later, Little's case remains unsolved but it's not a cold case. Detectives have evidence, now they need tips.
"We found some data that had not been processed. We took that information in 2019 to a lab and were able to get more information that led to a DNA discovery," Francis said.
Francis said detectives "are really close" to solving the case.
"We have two persons of interest and we are hoping some tips will come in,” he said.
Little's family hopes someone will do the right thing and come forward.
"It’s hard to keep secrets that long," Joel said. "Maybe you weren’t involved but maybe you know someone who was."
"I just want it to be over," Hadeen said.
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