David L. Peterson, a 54-year-old U.S. Army veteran known for his kindness and humor, had built a life in Seattle with his wife of nearly 22 years, Kimberly. After more than two decades working in IT security, he enjoyed the simple routines of his Greenwood neighborhood, including his regular evening power walks. His wife, Kimberly, would later remember him as her best friend, a man who was all about living for the moment, having a good time, and always doing the right thing.
On the night of Sunday, February 23, 2014, David left his home for one of his usual walks. He told Kimberly, "I’ll be back in an hour," and went out the back door. But this walk ended in a senseless act of violence. While out, David was confronted by someone attempting to rob him. In a final, desperate act, he managed to call 911 to report the robbery. During the call, he could be heard saying the robber was "coming back."
Shortly after 9 p.m., Seattle police responded to reports of gunfire near North 85th Street and 1st Avenue NW. They discovered David in a parking lot near a Fred Meyer store with a single gunshot wound to the chest. The bullet had struck his heart, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
When her husband didn't return home, Kimberly grew worried. She called and texted him around 1 a.m. without a response. At 3 a.m., she called 911. Her worst fears were confirmed when she saw a police blotter story about a fatal shooting in the area and learned that someone matching David's description had been taken to the morgue. Investigators found his wallet on his body, but his cell phone was missing.
The Seattle Police Department began searching for three suspects seen fleeing the area: two Black men and a white woman. One of the men was described as tall and thin, in his 20s or 30s, and wearing a North Face jacket. The investigation quickly pointed toward a group believed to be involved in other robberies in the neighborhood that night. The seemingly random and brutal nature of the crime for a cell phone sent shockwaves through the community.
The investigation led to a significant breakthrough, and an arrest was made on March 1, 2014, shortly after David was laid to rest with full military honors. The suspect was Byron White, a 17-year-old senior and football player at Ballard High School. Acting on a tip from White's own mother, police apprehended him at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport as he was attempting to board a flight to Atlanta. According to court documents, White’s two accomplices identified him as the shooter.
Prosecutors charged White as an adult with first-degree murder and robbery. Investigators alleged that after the murder, White went to an acquaintance's home and admitted to the killing. He reportedly told his friends he had to shoot David because the man had seen his face. He then showed them the stolen phone and expressed disappointment that it wasn't a nicer model. White was held on $2 million bail.
In October 2015, Byron White, then 19, accepted a plea deal and pleaded guilty to murder. The agreement came as a relief to Kimberly Peterson, who found the long wait for legal proceedings to be a heavy burden. "I'm just glad that it's come to an ending knowing justice is served and that there are consequences to actions," she said outside the courtroom. The plea deal recommended a sentence of 28.5 years in prison. On November 9, 2015, a judge sentenced White in accordance with the agreement. Reflecting on her husband's memory, a tearful Kimberly Peterson said, "(I'm) just so sad to be without him. He would be proud of me."
