Fate of Kent man charged in Skyway boy’s death in hands of jury; UPDATE: Guilty

On Wednesday, whether 36-year-old Curtis Walker of Kent was the man who shot Alajawan was in the hands of a 12-person jury. Walker is charged with first-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm; he’s a convicted felon.

By Dean Radford • February 2, 2012 12:02 pm
Curtis John Walker
Curtis John Walker

UPDATE: A Superior Court jury Thursday afternoon found Curtis Walker guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of 12-year-old Alajawan Brown on April 29, 2010.

For three weeks the family of  12-year-old Alajawan Brown listened to the story in vivid detail of how their football-loving child had died, shot in the back on a warm evening in late April 2010.

On Wednesday, whether 36-year-old Curtis Walker of Kent was the man who shot Alajawan was in the hands of a 12-person jury. Walker is charged with first-degree murder and illegal possession of a firearm; he’s a convicted felon.

They had to sort out which testimony – and which witnesses – were the most credible. Throughout the trial, stories changed from what initially was told to investigators. In her closing arguments, senior deputy prosecuting attorney Kristin Richardson repeatedly turned to changes in the stories of Walker and his wife Shaleese.

Most damning, in Richardson’s view, was Walker’s admission that he switched cars near the 7-11 store where Alajawan was shot, thus placing him at the scene. He had told investigators he didn’t switch cars until farther away on Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

Alajawan died in the 7-11 parking lot. Richardson described how Walker, legs apart in a shooting stance, raised a .38 revolver and fired two shots, but not before Alajawan looked at him.

“Alajawan knew he was going to die, so he turned and ran,” Richardson said.

But one of Walker’s attorney, Jerry Stimmel, again made the defense’s contention that it was actually Rodrigues Rabin, who had come to the nearby Cedar Village Apartments with Walker, who shot Alajawan.

Walker, Rabun and Johnathan Jackson were at the apartments, where a gun battle erupted between members of the Bloods and Crips gangs. Jackson was shot.

Sheriff Sue Rahr was at the closing arguments, sitting next to Alajawan’s mother, Ayanna.

“I couldn’t have written a more heart-breaking story,” Rahr said. That April 29 was a “big day” for Alajawan, she said. He had saved up enough money for new football cleats; he was on his way home fromWalmart.