Man who killed Seattle’s ‘Tuba Man’ in 2008 charged with felony robbery, organized retail theft

The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office announced Saturday that the man who was convicted for the 2008 killing of Seattle’s “Tuba Man, " Edward McMichael, has been charged in connection to stealing from the downtown Seattle Nordstrom store several times in July.

Billy Chambers, along with another man and woman, are charged with second-degree robbery and two counts of first-degree organized retail theft for their roles in three separate thefts from Nordstrom in July.

According to court documents, on July 8, Chambers acted as a lookout for Shellonda Daniel and another unknown suspect as they stole handbags from a display. As the three left the store, an employee tried to stop them and was pepper-sprayed by Daniel.

Another employee went after Chambers and the unknown suspect, but as he went back to the store, he was also pepper-sprayed by Daniel, who got away with stolen merchandise.

The trio stole a total of $19,920 in merchandise.

On July 13, Chambers and a man named Keith Sims went to Nordstrom and again stole handbags from a display. $8,850 in merchandise was stolen.

On July 14, Chambers, Daniel and Sims committed the same crime at Nordstrom, this time getting away with $13,970 in merchandise.

All three suspects’ bail has been set at $40,000.

Chambers is also charged with first-degree organized retail theft in a separate case out of Bellevue. In that case, Chambers’ bail was set at $25,000.

In addition to the newest charges and the 2008 manslaughter charge for the killing of McMichael, Chambers has eight additional felony convictions, and is the suspect in a drive-by shooting in July where he was arrested on investigation of unlawful possession of a firearm.

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