The Spotlight

As Kitsap County braces for the sentencing of three convicted murderers on May 7th, the community reflects on the emotionally grueling path toward justice for four slain family members.

Bellevue Police believe this is one of the largest retail theft ring busts in state history. A total of 42 stores were hit throughout Western Washington. Investigators say the thieves sold the merchandise for 30¢ on the dollar. That's $120,000 cash. Plus, the story of one of Kitsap County's most horrific crimes. The murder of a family of four is finally nearing its final chapter after a jury returned a guilty verdict against all suspects. And, a Seattle woman speaks out after her dog was shot and killed outside of her home. Why the suspect is already out of jail and the punishment he now faces.

In a significant crackdown on organized retail crime, Bellevue police have arrested members of a theft crew accused of stealing more than $500,000 worth of luxury apparel and activewear from Lululemon and other retailers across Western Washington and Northwest Oregon. Investigators revealed that at least 42 stores were targeted by the crew. The brazen thefts involved suspects walking into stores as regular shoppers and swiftly making off with bulging bags and handfuls of stolen goods.

Cartels have figured out how to make the "zombie drug" even scarier: Xylazine, the base ingredient used to make tranq, has previously been seen mixed into other drugs because it amplifies the effects. Now, it is being sold on the streets as a standalone drug. Naloxone, or Narcan, does not work if someone overdoses on Xylazine because it is not an opioid.

Seattle authorities are warning local citizens about Xylazine, an animal tranquilizer popularly known in the streets as Tranq or the Zombie drug. According to the Seattle Police, not only is the drug present in the region, but it is also being sold as a standalone narcotic for the first time ever.

Teens risk getting tased as the crackdown on car theft ramps up and more arrests are made. Vehicle thefts in Washington state are down for the third month in a row thanks to some key arrests of the 'Kia Boys' actively stealing cars. Still, there have been more than 5500 cars and trucks stolen so far this year. Bodycam video shows the chaos on the roads as armed teens in stolen vehicles risk their lives and the safety of others to try to escape.

Two seniors at Skyline High School say the issue of drugs and overdoses are "kind of a taboo topic" to discuss at school, prompting them to start their own PSA.

The Washington State Legislature has approved a ballot initiative giving police officers more leeway to pursue suspects if there is a reasonable suspicion that a person has violated the law. David Rose has the latest on The Spotlight.

Kitsap County Sheriff’s detectives are asking for your help for information that could crack an unsolved homicide one year ago today after two gunmen opened fire at a Bremerton home, killing a mother of four inside.

It's one thing for a kid to break the law. But when the kids themselves are broken—by addiction, abuse, or mental illness, a jail cell is no place to heal. That's the reasoning behind King County's continued push forward on a plan first promised by Executive Dow Constantine to close the youth detention facility, now by 2028. Teens would be placed in lightly secured group homes instead, where there would be better access to counseling and services. But would that address the jaw-dropping increase we've seen in juvenile crimes this last year? One of the top jurists in the King County courts system is skeptical.

A Pierce County Sheriff's K9 has only been on duty for a couple of months but but he is already proving his skill at tracking. One of three home burglary suspects found that out the hard way when he tried to hide from K9 Bronco by burying himself in the mud.

A police task force resorted to serving a search warrant on DCYF's Green Hill correctional school in Lewis County, after commanders say their official requests for an investigation were brushed off. The raid uncovered more than 100 contraband items, including fentanyl, meth, and shanks, that had gone unreported for years.

The reason that Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy and School Resource Officer Carly Cappetto found herself conducting a felony traffic stop involving a stolen car full of suspects is because she's curious and diligent.