PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said it is no longer looking for a man accused of killing two people earlier today.
Detectives said that the two homicides that happened 30 minutes apart in Tacoma and Puyallup on Wednesday morning were related.
Soon after, police launched a manhunt for 24-year-old Hayes McCloud in connection with both homicides.
Around 8 p.m., the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said police “made contact” with the suspect in Seaside, Oregon, and that they were “no longer looking for the suspect.”
“Details of the contact and major incident that transpired in Oregon will be available once the investigation is concluded,” the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said.
Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank posted on social media at around 9 p.m. Wednesday, confirming that the suspect had been spotted by a Flock camera in Lewis County earlier that same day, at around 4 a.m.
Oregon State Police (OSP) confirmed that the suspect had been killed.
According to OSP, troopers got a call around 5 p.m. that the suspect was on the northern coast of Oregon. Over an hour later, Seaside police spotted the suspect inside his vehicle on Sunset Boulevard, near Greenway Drive.
“As officers approached the vehicle, the suspect fired at responding officers and officers from the Gearhart and Cannon Beach Police Departments returned fire. Following the exchange of gunfire, the suspect drove away,” OSP described.
He was found dead inside the vehicle a short distance later.
No one else was injured.
The involved officers will be placed on administrative leave during the investigation, per protocol.
Who were the victims
An off-camera family member identified the Puyallup victim and described him as a friend and house guest of the suspect, while the Tacoma victim was identified as McCloud’s uncle.
The family member stated that the uncle drove up to his house as McCloud was allegedly attempting to break in, with family inside the home.
The Puyallup case
According to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a Puyallup home at around 2:40 a.m. after someone reported finding a man dead inside the home.
Deputies say the preliminary investigation indicates there was “homicidal violence” in a bedroom that eventually led outside the home. The victim, a 35-year-old man, was found inside the home with multiple deadly injuries.
Family has identified the victim as Keitwuan White.
The Tacoma case
Less than 30 minutes later, officers responded to a second homicide investigation in Tacoma’s Hillsdale neighborhood. According to the Tacoma Police Department, arriving officers found one man with apparent gunshot wounds. Despite lifesaving efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
Family has identified the victim as James Trujillo.
©2026 Cox Media Group
