06:20 PM PDT on Sunday, April 25, 2004

By ERIC WILKINSON / KING 5 News

KING Former Tacoma police chief David Brame shot his wife Crystal and himself in April.

TACOMA, Wash. - Much has changed in Tacoma since a year ago, but clouds of doubt and suspicion still linger about the future of this city.

It was an ordinary spring day at a Gig Harbor shopping center when the lives of many were changed forever. Tracy Abbot still remembers the feeling.

"Sick … really. Very sick that apparently people knew about it but never did anything to stop her, I mean stop him from hurting her," she said.

Then Tacoma police David Brame killed his wife Crystal and then himself one year ago in the midst of a bitter divorce. The ensuing investigation found many city officials and police officers knew about Brame's questionable emotional state and episodes of domestic violence perpetrated against his wife, but nothing was ever done.

A state patrol investigation found no criminal wrongdoing and the city's own investigation is still underway, but some wonder whether there will ever be any accountability at city hall.

"They sure talk a lot about it a lot, but you have to wonder if it's possible to change that - if you wanna call it corruption - I don't know," said Carol Silva of Fox Island.

Tacoma's assistant police chief Catherine Woodard retired abruptly in the weeks following the murder-suicide. City manager Ray Corpuz retired under pressure. Both received healthy pension plans.

"On a grand scale David Brame was just a big bully and he pushed so much that he finally exploded. And if they're going to tolerate that sort of thing at home or at the school ground then they're going to keep sinking down lower in their own self esteem as victims," said former Tacoma police officer Brian O'Neill.

On the positive side, Tacoma has increased training and staff for domestic violence and the police department is implementing an early warning system to spot problem officers before they get out of control.

At least 32 city employees face possible disciplinary actions once Tacoma's internal investigation is complete. The city still faces a $75 million wrongful death lawsuit by Crystal Brame's family.