TACOMA, WA. (THECOUNT) — Franklin Thuo, of Federal Way, has been identified as the teenage boy who washed up dead in Tacoma after allegedly killing a 79-year-old Handy Corner Store owner, Soon Ja Nam, by shooting her in the back.
Thuo, 16, died of a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.
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Thuo’s body was discovered after it washed up along Marine View Drive Monday morning. Officials said he had been in the water for several hours.
His death has been ruled a homicide, reports TheNewsTribune.
Investigators arrested a second teenaged suspect Wednesday in a parking lot in Northeast Tacoma.
Investigators believe the other 16-year-old boy in custody may have killed Thuo after the two held up the Handy Corner Store Saturday and fatally shot Nam in the back.
Thuo’s alleged accomplice is being held without bail at Remann Hall Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery.
Prosecutors said the teen will likely be charged as an adult.
Nam, beloved in the neighborhood and known for giving snacks to those who couldn’t afford them, died at the scene.
DEVELOPING::
Geo quick facts: Tacoma is a city in Washington state, on the banks of Puget Sound, south of Seattle. It’s known for the Museum of Glass, which has works by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly among its exhibits. These include installations on the Chihuly Bridge of Glass. The Tacoma Art Museum has a strong Northwest regional focus. The Washington State History Museum features hands-on exhibits, plus a vast model railroad – wikipedia.