EDMONDS—An elderly Edmonds woman was almost killed by her husband in a brutal attack with a hammer as she slept. In a twist of fate, the husband was later found deceased in Seattle below the Ship Canal Bridge.
A 68-year-old Edmonds woman is hospitalized in stable condition after she was attacked by with a hammer her husband early Wednesday morning at their Edmonds residence. The 73-year-old suspect began striking the victim with a hammer as she slept. A prolonged attack took place before the victim was able to escape to a neighbor’s residence. 911 was called just after 5:15 AM after the suspect had left the residence in a vehicle.
The suspect was identified as Nick Zerafat a white male, 5 feet 10 inches tall, 137lbs wearing a dark blue t-shirt.
When officers arrived, they discovered a significant crime scene, and the victim had sustained multiple severe injuries, including to her head. Fire/EMS transported her to Swedish Medical Center in Edmonds. She was treated and released later in the day.
Edmonds Police developed probable cause for 1st Degree Assault (Domestic Violence) and Unlawful Imprisonment (Domestic Violence) and shared the suspect’s information with area law enforcement.
Just before 5:30 a.m., the Washington State Patrol (WSP) located the suspect’s abandoned vehicle along southbound Interstate 5 in Seattle.
Further investigation discovered that a male, matching the suspect’s description, was found deceased on the ground below the Ship Canal Bridge where the vehicle had been left.
Seattle Police Department responded to that location and conducted the death investigation. Initial information shows that the suspect fell from the bridge above where his vehicle was located. There were no obvious signs of foul play. Confirmation of the identity, as well as the cause and manner of death, will be determined by the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Edmonds PD detectives will work with the WSP and Seattle PD as they continue their investigation into the original incident and the suspect’s death.
SOURCE: Edmonds Police Department
