TACOMA, Wash. — A man wanted for two homicides in Pierce County was shot and killed during an encounter with police in Oregon on Wednesday night.
Around 2:40 a.m. on July 8, 35-year-old Keitwuan White was found shot to death inside a Puyallup home. Half an hour later, a man named James Trujilo was found shot to death in Tacoma.
The ordeal has left Kristina Trujillo mourning three members of her own family, including her father, James.
He was shot dead outside her family’s home early Wednesday morning.
“That was my best friend,” she said. KIRO 7 spoke with Kristina as she wore a shirt she had just made, with a photo of the two sitting in the stands at T-Mobile Park.
“Last year, last minute, I wanted to go to the Mariners game and he bought ticket last minute and took me and one of my friends to the Mariners game. And that’s what’s on my shirt,” she said.
Investigators say James Trujillo was shot about half an hour after Keitwuan White was killed at home in Puyallup. Kristina says Keitwuan was her brother-in-law.
“He was the purest soul that you would ever meet. He was big and goofy. The life of the party. Light and joy.”
Detectives in Puyallup and Tacoma quickly realized the suspect they were both looking for was Hayes McCloud
“A bulletin was put out with Haye’s description. Oregon officers recognized the vehicle and the person. He was contacted,” said Detective Josh Mills with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.
Oregon State Police say when officers spotted and approached Hayes’ car in Seaside, he fired at them. They returned fire. Hayes drove off but was found dead inside the car a short time later.
Kristina says Hayes was her cousin.
“In reality, it’s a lose-lose situation no matter what. Everybody lost somebody at the end of the day.”
She says she has no idea why Hayes would harm anyone. She says she grew up with him, and last saw him on the Fourth of July, when he appeared to be behaving perfectly normally.
“He was a great cousin. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what changed,” he said.