FBI AND DOJ RENEW APPEAL IN UNSOLVED MURDER OF FEDERAL PROSECUTOR THOMAS WALES AS INVESTIGATION REACHES 25 YEARS

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — Nearly 25 years after federal prosecutor Thomas Crane Wales was fatally shot inside his Seattle home, federal and local investigators are renewing their appeal for information that could identify those responsible. The October 11, 2001, killing remains unsolved, with a $2.5 million combined reward being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

The renewed appeal was announced on October 9, 2026, by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. Investigators continue examining evidence, pursuing leads, and using developing technology to advance the case involving the murder of an Assistant United States Attorney who had spent nearly two decades prosecuting federal crimes.

Wales was working at his computer in the basement of his Queen Anne neighborhood residence at approximately 10:40 p.m. when an assailant standing outside the home fired multiple shots through a window. He suffered gunshot wounds and was transported to a hospital, where he died the following day.

Investigators previously reported that a lone male suspect was seen fleeing the area following the shooting. The FBI has released a composite sketch of a person of interest as part of its continuing effort to obtain information from the public.

Born in 1952, Wales grew up in Southborough, Massachusetts, and graduated from Harvard University in 1974. He subsequently attended Hofstra Law School, graduating in 1979 after serving as editor-in-chief of its law review.

Wales became an Assistant United States Attorney in Seattle in 1983, specializing in white-collar crime and fraud prosecutions. He served in the Western District of Washington for more than 18 years and was also involved in civic organizations, including the Seattle Planning Commission and the Mayor’s Citizen Advisory Committee.

He was survived by two children. His murder had a lasting impact on the federal law enforcement community, particularly because of concerns that the attack may have been connected to his prosecutorial responsibilities.

Federal authorities have emphasized that if Wales was targeted because of his work as a federal prosecutor, his killing would remain the only unsolved murder of a federal prosecutor committed for that reason.

Acting United States Attorney Neil Floyd recalled learning about the murder while serving as an Army Judge Advocate at Fort Lewis nearly 25 years ago. Floyd emphasized that the federal prosecutor community has not forgotten Wales and that investigative resources continue to be dedicated to identifying and prosecuting those responsible.

The Department of Justice and the National Association of Former United States Attorneys are offering a combined reward of $2.5 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a person responsible for the killing. The FBI’s existing seeking-information poster separately identifies a Department of Justice reward of up to $2 million.

Floyd also stated that investigators are incorporating developing computer technologies into the ongoing investigation. Advances in digital analysis, investigative data processing, and evidence examination can provide additional opportunities to review information gathered during long-running homicide investigations.

W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office, reaffirmed the Bureau’s commitment to the case, emphasizing the significance of an attack against someone serving in the federal justice system.

Herrington confirmed that investigators continue receiving tips and pursuing leads. He urged individuals possessing relevant information to contact authorities rather than withholding details that could assist the investigation.

On October 9, Floyd and Herrington visited Wales’ former residence for a briefing with personnel familiar with the investigation. Investigators reviewed their assessment of the shooter’s position, the apparent escape route, and physical changes to the property and surrounding landscape over the intervening decades.

Those changes are relevant because the original crime scene no longer exists in precisely the same physical condition. Buildings, vegetation, sightlines, and surrounding environmental features can change considerably over 25 years, requiring investigators to account for historical conditions when reviewing the evidence.

The investigation is being conducted through the Seattle Prosecutor Murder Task Force (SEPROM), a joint effort involving the FBI, Seattle Police Department, Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

Long-running homicide investigations can benefit from renewed witness cooperation, additional forensic examination, and information that becomes available through later investigations. Individuals who witnessed suspicious activity, possessed knowledge of potential participants, or learned relevant details after the crime may still provide evidence capable of assisting investigators.

The FBI has maintained a public seeking-information notice displaying photographs of Wales and a composite sketch of a person of interest. The notice identifies the date and location of the murder and encourages members of the public to provide information concerning the killing.

Federal investigators have also maintained public information concerning a Makarov-type pistol in connection with the case. The Bureau’s firearm-related information forms part of its effort to obtain potentially useful leads, although the public appeal does not identify a charged suspect.

Anyone with information concerning the murder of Thomas Crane Wales is encouraged to contact the FBI Seattle Field Office confidentially at (206) 622-0460 or by email at walestips@fbi.gov. Information may also be submitted in person or by mail to the FBI at 1110 Third Avenue, Seattle, Washington 98101.

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