Woman found dead in North Seattle

A woman was found dead in a North Seattle motel Wednesday and Seattle police homicide detectives are investigating.

About 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the report of a dead body found at the Seal's Motel in the 12000 block of Aurora Avenue North. Police said the woman was 34.

"Out of an abundance of caution, homicide and CSI detectives responded to help process the scene and investigate further," Detective Jeff Kappel said in a statement. "Because the cause of death has not yet been determined, detectives consider the death suspicious."

The King County Medical Examiner's Office took custody of the woman's body, but have not yet released or name or manner of death, pending an autopsy and family notification.

Kappel asked that anyone with information about the death call the Seattle homicide tip Line at 206-233-5000. He said anonymous tips are welcome.

Built in 1947, the Seal's Motel is one of several economy motels on Aurora Avenue North, and has had problems there before.

In November 2012, a man who was swinging a chain at the manager barricaded himself inside a room and had to be coaxed out by a SWAT negotiator. On Jan. 14, 2009, a five-time felon was shot to death after he threatened a woman, pulled out police Taser barbs and sprayed an officer with pepper spray. His parents sued police, but the case was dismissed in 2012.

Twice in 2008, the Seal's Motel was closed by state health authorities who said conditions there were unsafe.

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