SEATTLE – The clue that led Seattle police to the man suspected of killing a police officer was last owned by a Western Washington University student.
"I've put a lot of time, effort money into that car," said Carey Rose.
His 1980 Datsun 210 became his labor of love in high school. It was a beauty of a car he affectionately named Watson.
Imagine his surprise when it showed up in the news after the arrest of Christopher Monfort.
"I realized, 'Oh my gosh. This is the guy,'" said Rose.
The Datsun was linked to the murder of Seattle police officer Timothy Brenton, shot and killed Halloween night at 23rd Avenue and Yesler Way.
Rose put the Datsun up for sale last summer on Craigslist. Monfort, the man suspected of killing Brenton, wanted to buy it.
"It seemed fairly normal. We met, rode on a test drive. After the transaction, it turned a little bit different than what I had been expecting," said Rose.
Rose says Monfort kept calling, complaining that the car's gas mileage wasn't as advertised. He kept asking to meet up.
"He wanted to get together and play some music and jam. I wasn't looking for that kind of relationship when I posted that advertisement," said Rose.
Rose recently wrote about his chance encounter in an article for The Western Front, the college newspaper. He says the Datsun was a hand-me-down from his ex-girlfriend's grandfather.
"It became more than a car. It's so connected with my high school experience that it's unnerving to see those photos of and look at it. It's almost evil," said Rose.
The car was captured on a police cruiser's dashboard camera and later found at an apartment complex in Tukwila. A citizen reported it to police, and that ultimately led to Monfort's arrest.
"I'm glad I sold it to him because it was such an instrumental tool in the investigation," said Rose.
Rose says he didn't hear about the suspect vehicle until after Monfort's arrest. Had he seen the photo on T.V. he says he's pretty confident he would have been able to identify the car.
Monfort has been charged with aggravated first-degree murder for the death of Ofc. Brenton, three counts of attempted murder and one count of arson.
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