On Wednesday night, a man suspected of killing a University of Washington student on Sunday night surrendered to the police. This development came after the Seattle Police Department (SPD) took a significant step earlier that day by releasing images of the individual believed to be involved in the tragic incident. Authorities had reached out to the community, seeking assistance in locating the suspect.
In a statement issued early Thursday, the SPD provided further details, saying, “On May 13, Seattle police detectives arrested a 31-year-old man in connection to a homicide that occurred on May 10 in a University of Washington campus housing building. Officers discovered the 19-year-old victim had died from stab wounds.”
The suspect, as revealed by an SPD spokesperson to Fox News Digital, is a former student of the university. He attended the University of Washington between 2015 and 2021, adding a layer of complexity to the case given his past connection to the institution.
Alongside the announcement of the arrest, the Seattle Police Department also shared a photograph of the suspect, which was made public on May 13, 2026, in hopes of gathering more information from those who may have recognized him. The release of this image played a crucial role in advancing the investigation and ultimately led to the suspect’s surrender.
The suspect is a former student at the University of Washington who attended the school from 2015 to 2021, an SPD spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Police said the suspect, who remains unnamed, turned himself in to the Bellevue Police Department and was transferred to the custody of Seattle homicide detectives.
Authorities were hunting for three days for the suspect after a gruesome late-night stabbing murder on Sunday in a laundry room in the Nordheim Court apartments. Those apartments are privately managed and located off campus, but are listed on the University of Washington’s website as an option for undergraduate housing.
The suspect is described as a light-skinned Black male who is approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall and has a thin build. In the photos, he sports thin wire-framed glasses, a scruffy goatee and navy blue pullover sweatshirt paired with blue jeans.
Seattle police released this photo of the suspect in a University of Washington student’s murder on May 13, 2026. (Seattle Police Department)
In one eerie photo, the suspect can be seen looking over his right shoulder directly into what appears to be a surveillance camera.
University of Washington Police responded to the scene, where they, along with the Seattle Fire Department, attempted life-saving measures to no avail.
The victim, who is reportedly transgender, has not been named.
Seattle police released this photo of the suspect in a University of Washington student’s murder on May 13, 2026. (Seattle Police Department)
“I want to express my deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and loved ones of the UW student who was killed late last night,” University of Washington President Robert Jones told the school’s newspaper The Daily. “There are no words that can express the profound loss of a student. While investigators have not yet identified a suspect or a motive, I want to recognize that when violence affects a trans person it can be especially worrying to our LGBTQIA+ community members.”
Fox News Digital reached out to SPD.