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Inset: Clay Fosse (New Mexico Department of Corrections). Background: The apartment complex in Seattle, Washington, where Fosse allegedly killed a man in 2015 (Google Maps).
A decade after a chilling murder took place in Washington state, a man has been charged in connection with the crime. Clay Fosse, 37, is accused of the second-degree murder of Thomas Hess in Seattle, as detailed in a probable cause affidavit obtained by Law&Crime.
Hess was discovered deceased by his roommates around 2 a.m. on February 14, 2015, in his apartment located on the 2300 block of 1st Avenue. According to police reports, Hess’s body was covered with blankets, and a perforated leather sheet, described as a “mask,” was placed over his face. His wrists were bound behind his back with a shoelace, and officers noted a strong odor of oven cleaner emanating from his body. A can of Easy-Off oven cleaner was found near his feet.
An autopsy uncovered evidence of blunt force trauma to Hess’s face, neck, and torso, including multiple broken bones. The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be “probable mechanical asphyxia,” a condition resulting from the obstruction of breathing pathways.
Security protocols at the apartment complex required residents to use a key card for entry. Records indicated that Hess last accessed his apartment shortly after 3 p.m. on February 12, 2015. Surveillance footage captured him entering the building with an unidentified male. The same individual was recorded leaving the premises approximately seven hours later.
Residents of the apartment complex used a key card to enter the building. Records showed the last time Hess entered the apartment was shortly after 3 p.m. Feb. 12, 2015. Surveillance camera footage showed he went inside with an unknown male, the affidavit stated. That same male was seen leaving the building some seven hours later.
Investigators in the months after the crime sent several pieces of evidence to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab including nail clippings. More than a year later, a match came back to Fosse, who at that time was in the Bernalillo County Jail in New Mexico on unrelated charges, according to cops. Detectives in August 2016 submitted Fosse’s DNA to the crime lab which confirmed a match.
In 2024, more items were submitted for DNA analysis including neck swabs. In May, it was confirmed that the swabs originated from Hess and Fosse, cops said.
Records show Fosse is currently serving a prison sentence in New Mexico Department of Corrections for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Cops say Fosse has an extensive criminal history, which includes convictions for kidnapping and false imprisonment. He also was arrested in Washington state in the weeks after the alleged murder for assault and criminal trespass.
The affidavit did not include a motive for the murder or how the suspect and victim came to know each other.