SEATTLE, Oct. 11, 2026 — Twenty-five years after federal prosecutor Thomas C. Wales was fatally shot at his Seattle home, investigators say the case remains active and are renewing their appeal for information that could help identify the killer.
In an October 9 announcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington said the Seattle Prosecutor Murder Task Force continues to pursue leads and is using emerging technologies to reexamine the case.
What happened in 2001
Wales, an assistant U.S. attorney who prosecuted white-collar fraud cases, was working at a computer in the basement of his Queen Anne neighborhood home on the night of October 11, 2001, when someone fired through a window from the backyard. Wales died at a hospital the following day. No one has been convicted of his murder.
Investigators have not established publicly who fired the shots or whether Wales was targeted because of his work as a prosecutor. Federal officials have said that if he was killed for his official duties, it would be an exceptional unsolved attack on a federal prosecutor.
Investigators return to the scene
Federal and local law enforcement leaders visited the former Wales home on October 9 to review where investigators believe the shooter stood and the possible escape route. The task force includes the FBI, Seattle Police Department, Justice Department, U.S. Attorney’s Office and King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
Officials said new technology may help investigators evaluate evidence, but emphasized that tips from people with information remain essential. Independent KIRO 7 reporting described the October 9 appeal and the family’s continued hope for answers.
Reward of up to $2.5 million
The Justice Department and the National Association of Former U.S. Attorneys are offering a combined reward of up to $2.5 million for information leading to an arrest and conviction. The combined amount was established in 2021; the anniversary appeal does not represent a newly increased reward.
Anyone with relevant information can contact the FBI Seattle office at (206) 622-0460 or email walestips@fbi.gov. The FBI also maintains an official case-information page.
Editor’s note: The investigation is unresolved. This report does not identify or imply the guilt of any uncharged individual. The story uses no third-party case imagery or footage whose republication rights have not been verified.
Sources: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Washington (October 9, 2026); FBI case page; Justice Department’s 2021 reward announcement; KIRO 7 News.
