Man seeks tips in murder of his brother

The brother of a Tacoma man gunned down while searching for his lost dog is pleading with the public to help bring the killers to justice.

David Watson, 45, was a “good man,” according to his brother, Jonathan. He worked odd jobs taking care of various properties, but mostly kept to himself.

Early in the morning on Sunday, Watson left his Tacoma home to search for his dog, which had somehow gotten loose.

“He was worried sick about the dog being lost,” said Jonathan Watson, 48, of Puyallup.

Watson’s search eventually brought him to a Chevron store located at 56th and South Lawrence Streets. Surveillance video shows his red pickup truck idling in the parking lot.

Two men, who appear to be in their late teens or early 20’s, are seen looking in the direction of Watson’s vehicle. The video appears to show them speaking to the driver before quickly running away.

Watch the surveillance video here

A short time later, at approximately 3:10 a.m., police responded to the scene of an accident just two blocks south of the store. Watson, who was unconscious when patrol officers arrived, had crashed his truck into a nearby park. His dog was also inside the vehicle, but was unharmed.

Officers discovered Watson had suffered a gunshot wound to the torso. He died several hours later at Tacoma General Hospital.

Tacoma police have yet to determine a motive for the murder, but would like to speak to the two men in the video.

“My entire family is simply inconsolable over this event,” said his brother. “If anyone has any information, my family needs closure.”

Those with information are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.