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Woman accused of lying in unsolved slaying of Seattle attorney pleads guilty to obstruction

An indictment accused Shawna Reid of making false statements to a grand jury, obstructing justice in the investigation into the murder of Thomas Wales.

SEATTLE — A woman who was sought by federal prosecutors for allegedly lying to a grand jury investigating the 2001 murder of a Seattle attorney pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor obstruction charge. 

U.S. District Judge James Robart sentenced 36-year-old Shawna Reid, of Marysville, to time served — a total of nine days in custody since she was indicted in 2019, according court documents released Monday. 

A 2019 indictment accused Reid of making false statements to a grand jury and as a result, obstructed justice in the investigation into the murder of Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Wales. 

The indictment of Reid was seen as a potential break in the case, which remains unsolved. But the government appears to have gotten little out of the prosecution. 

The indictment said Reid told FBI agents in 2017 that a suspect in the Wales murder “bragged about involvement in the murder of a judge or attorney.”  

The charging documents said that in 2018, six months after Reid spoke with agents, she told a grand jury she never made the statements. The documents did not identify the suspect or explain Reid’s relationship to that suspect.

Reid's attorney says Reid never had anything more to offer the investigation.

Wales lived in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood and was murdered in 2001. He was working a the basement office when someone shot him through a window.

"The investigation into the murder of Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Wales continues to be a high priority for the Department of Justice," a department spokesperson said Monday. 

There is a reward of $1.525 million and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the FBI Seattle Field Office at 206-622-0460 or by email at walestips@fbi.gov. Tips can also be sent by mail to the FBI at 1110 Third Ave., Seattle, WA  98101.

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