27th Tacoma Homicide of 2021: Emery Iese
Emery Christopher Thomas Iese was sitting in the passenger seat of his mother’s Grand Marquis in an alley near their house. His 42-year-old mother sat in the driver’s seat. His 22-year-old uncle, Raymond and his Raymond’s 22-year-old girlfriend, Tasha were in the back. The weather on October 21, 2021 was bright and sunny.
At 4:22pm, a 22-year-old man who lived half a mile away and had a history of mental illness approached the car and opened fire with a 9mm pistol. Emery’s mother was shot before she could get out of the car. As bullets continued to fire, Emery got out and ran across the yard until he tripped. The gunman chased him down and despite Emery telling the man not to fire, the man shot him at arm’s length. Emery was Tacoma’s 27th homicide of 2021 and the third one of four that day.
A week would pass before the man responsible was identified and arrested. Police and prosecutors were unable to find a connection between any of the victims and the man who murdered the four of them. The only link anyone has found is that the man was in 5th Grade with one of the victims. The man was charged with four counts of Aggravated First Degree Murder and faces a life sentence if convicted.
Emery was a graduate of Chief Leschi School just four months before his death and had plans to go to college. He wanted to be a teacher. He was the family comedian, but his passions were music and art. He was also dedicated to his friends and family. He was often the one to organize outings. He made sure in his nineteen years of life that his friends and family would have good memories of him.
As always the comment section is reserved for those who knew Emery and want to share thoughts and memories of him.
–Jack
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