Local News
Published: Thursday, April 14, 2005
An Everett family's home is the target of racial epithets and extensive vandalism.
EVERETT - It may or may not have been a hate crime.
But Crissy Kitchell and Wes Washington, a biracial couple, and police agree that the trashing of their south Everett home Tuesday was hateful and a crime.
"The amount of damage that was done is hate, either way you look at it," Kitchell said.
Kitchell received a call at work Tuesday afternoon that someone had broken into the home that she, Washington and their eight children share in the 6900 block of Lower Ridge Road. She called Washington about 2:30 p.m. and the two met police, who had been called by a neighbor, at the house.
Graffiti covered the refrigerator. About $300 worth of food that the couple had just bought - including sugar, eggs, cherries, molasses, corn starch and a turkey - had been pulled out and mixed with broken glass and other debris on the floor.
"It's not like they just dropped it, either, they smeared," Kitchell said.
Washington had to use a shovel to scoop up the mess.
The door to the master bedroom had been painted with a swastika and kicked in. A large dresser mirror had been sprayed and then broken. The wall where "KKK" had been sprayed was caved in. The room and bed were completely covered with clothing and other items. Some things had been taken from the home.
A total damage estimate was not available.
"It was just horrific," Washington said. He described his reaction as "just angry, upset."
"You wonder why someone would do this and what would be the reason," Washington said. "We haven't done anything to anyone, so I don't know."
Everett police Sgt. Boyd Bryant said at least two felonies were committed, burglary and first-degree criminal mischief. Whether there is enough evidence for a charge of malicious harassment - the police term for a hate crime - remains to be seen, he said.
The graffiti alone isn't enough to prove a hate crime, he said.
"You've got to wait until you get all the facts," Bryant said.
"We have a good lead, we have some good evidence to work from," he said.
Bryant said the break-in did not appear to be random. There have been no similar incidents in the neighborhood, he said.
Kitchell said only two of her children saw the mess, and the couple are keeping it from the others. The family stayed at a motel Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
"You can't stay here, you can't sleep here," Washington said. "It's pretty unnerving, actually."
Washington said he and Kitchell, who are not married, had recently talked about getting insurance, but had yet to purchase it.
The couple have already done some cleaning. Much more is to come.
"Clean, clean, clean," Washington said. "Hopefully, I can get some days off. But I'd rather go to work than do this."
Reporter Diana Hefley contributed to this story.
Reporter Bill Sheets: 425-339-3439 or [email protected].
Jesus Stacie! WHO does things like this? :( I'm just sick. I hope they find out who did it. Do you know ages/sizes of the children and parents? I have tons of clothes we have outgrown.
lemme know what I can do to help sweetie
xoxo
Carla
Posted by: Carla | April 16, 2005 at 08:42 AM