MUS-2026-0023
Archive card
MUS-2026-0023
Homicide
- Incident
- 2001
- Indexed
- Oct 2, 2026, by MuseUnsolved
- Agency
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Location
- Seattle WA
Public record. Index entry.
Index entry. Case details compiled from public reporting; our researchers have not verified this file yet.
Summary
What happened, as the record shows.
Thomas C. Wales, an Assistant U.S. Attorney and prominent gun-safety advocate, was shot through his basement window in Seattle, Washington, in 2001 while working at his computer, one month after the September 11 attacks. The FBI strongly suspects a paid hitman, a theory made public in 2018. The Department of Justice offers a reward of more than $2 million. No arrests have been made. Coverage includes a Wikipedia page, Jeffrey Toobin's New Yorker piece 'An Unsolved Killing,' a Seattle Times series, NPR, and GovExec.
Timeline
What the record establishes.
- 2001
Thomas C. Wales is shot through his basement window in Seattle, one month after the September 11 attacks.
- 2018
The FBI publicly states it strongly suspects a paid hitman.
- 2026
The DOJ reward of more than $2 million stands. No arrests have been made. The case remains unsolved.
Key people
The people in the file.
Assistant U.S. Attorney and gun-safety advocate. Shot through his basement window in Seattle in 2001 while working at his computer.
Contact details change over time; confirm the current assignee before publishing.
Investigating agency
Where tips go.
This case is with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. If you know something, say something to them. For public-record leads for our researchers, use the tip line on any open file.
Coverage
Coverage and further reading.
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