Seattle detective solves second cold case in 1 week through DNA evidence
Nov 7, 2025, 1:13 PM
A photo of Clay Fosse, the man accused in the murder of Thomas Hess. (Photo courtesy of King County Prosecutor's Office)
(Photo courtesy of King County Prosecutor's Office)
The Seattle Police Department (SPD) solved its second cold case in less than a week. Thomas Hess was found dead in his Seattle apartment on Valentine’s Day 2015. He had blunt force trauma to his head, neck, and torso, and several broken bones. The cause of death was asphyxia.
His accused killer, 37-year-old Clay Fosse, was linked to the crime through DNA. He has an extensive criminal past and is currently in prison in New Mexico. The case was solved by SPD Detective Rolf Norton, the same detective who solved the 31-year-old murder of Tanya Frazier, early this week.
“He is the best of the best in a department that does not rest until the job is done,” said Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes.
“This really shows the value of Detective Rolf Norton and his dedication to cases like this,” said Casey McNerthney with the King County Prosecutor’s Office.
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According to court documents, friends discovered Hess’s body in his apartment in the 2000 block of 1st Avenue. He was found on the floor, his face covered with a leather mask, and his wrists were bound behind his back. Surveillance video at the complex captured images of a suspect, but they were unidentifiable.
Samples were collected from the victim and sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab, including fingernail clippings and swabs from around Hess’s neck. Testing in 2016 confirmed DNA from the victim, Clay Fosse, and the suspect, Thomas Hess.
It is unclear why no action was taken at the time, but in November 2024, court documents show detectives submitted additional items for DNA testing, and in May of this year, the WSP Crime Lab “found very strong support” that the DNA found came from both Hess and Fosse.
SPD Chief Barnes said there is no such thing as a cold case. He claimed that, whether the public knows it or not, investigations continue away from the spotlight and cases are handed over to new generations of investigators who refuse to rest until cases are solved and loved ones get closure.
Although Fosse is currently incarcerated, King County Prosecutors are taking no chances. Bail is set at $5,000,000, as Fosse is seen as an extreme danger to the community and a flight risk if he were to get out.
“Seattle police are down there in New Mexico attempting to talk to him,” McNerthney said. “The message here is, it doesn’t matter how long ago a case may have happened; it’s not forgotten. And, at some point, that knock will come at the door for whoever is accused of doing it.”
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