Police: Shopping cart assault leads to elderly Ballard man's death

SEATTLE — A homeless man who is a convicted felon pleaded not guilty to a manslaughter charge Monday morning in the death of 87-year-old Fred Nesbitt of Ballard.

Nesbitt was shopping at QFC on Holman Road on Feb. 29. Police said Brandon Graves-Benevides, 33, pulled on Nesbitt's shopping cart. When Nesbitt was off-balance, he pushed him to the ground. Nesbitt's hip was broken. He had hip surgery and spent weeks in rehabilitation.

On April 7, he died from complications of the fall.

Police had video of Graves-Benevides from the store surveillance cameras, but they didn't have him identified.

Seattle police and King County sheriff's deputies tracked him down and arrested him April 13.

Graves-Benevides has an extensive criminal history most of his convictions are in Colorado and California.  He told police he has substance abuse problems. He admitted that he was the man in the surveillance video.

Seattle police are already very familiar with Graves-Benevides, who moved to the area late last year.  In December 2015, prosecutors say Graves Benevides threatened the manager at a restaurant where he used to work. On March 21, Seattle police were called to the Uwajimaya store in the International District after a report that Graves-Benevides touched the butt of a shopper.  That same day, Graves-Benevides threw rocks at a passenger from the bus, then grabbed large pruning shears and attempted to stab the victim with them. Prosecutors say he is a danger to the community and it is clear his aggressive behavior is escalating.

His bail is set at $2 million. He pleaded not guilty to second-degree manslaughter.

Nesbitt's family is heartbroken. His daughter, Susan Aracri, said her dad was outgoing, a great storyteller and liked things "his way." He valued his independence and enjoyed his trips to QFC, Trader Joe's, and the bank.

"It's very tragic and it's very sad. It's not the way to end," said Aracri. "Before that he was just an old man. Took a little bit of Tylenol for aches and pains. He was a very healthy man."

When asked about the assault in the store, Aracri still has questions.

"I don't know why. The detective did say he was an angry man, the person who did this to my father."

After he retired, Nesbitt volunteered as a crossing guard at Loyal Heights Elementary, where his grandson went to school.

"He would go there in the morning, go there in the afternoon. He would shuffle along, do his thing," described Aracri. "It was great. It gave him purpose and he was very well-liked. "He was really the funniest person I ever knew, the smartest man I ever knew. You know, he was my daddy-o."

There will be a Memorial and Celebration of Life for Fred Nesbitt on May 15 at noon at the Blue Ridge Club House.

Cox Media Group