Infant and mother found shot in Beacon Hill

A woman and her infant daughter were found shot to death in their Beacon Hill home this morning, and police this afternoon are looking for a 29-year-old man in connection with the killings.

The bodies were found by the woman's mother, the grandmother of the infant, who called police about 10:15 a.m. from the house in the 1300 block of South Ferdinand Street, said Seattle police spokeswoman Renee Witt.

Seattle police initially reported that the child was 14 months old, but this afternoon said the child was 13 weeks old.

Police are looking for Daniel Thomas Hicks as a person of interest in the case, and consider him armed and dangerous. Hicks has no major criminal history, but was convicted of attempted second-degree malicious mischief in 2002.

Bob Thomas lives nearby and is a local block-watch captain.

"It's a shame. I can't believe it," said Thomas."I don't know her well, but she seems like a very nice young lady."

She would often walk by, carrying her baby in a papoose-style sling, walking up to a produce stand a few blocks away, he said. "She would always smile and wave. Very friendly."

Thomas said his understanding is that the victim's mother lived upstairs in the house, and that the victim, her baby, and a man lived in the lower floor. A relative this afternoon declined to comment.

Hicks, whom police would only say is well acquainted with the woman, was arrested in December 2001 after he walked up to a motorist driving slowly down Fifth Avenue, between Pike and Pine streets, and started attacking her car, court papers said. In the end, a window was shattered and the door was dented.

Hicks told police that he was reacting after the vehicle hit him. He was initially charged with malicious mischief, but the charge was downgraded through a plea agreement. Hicks' sentence was deferred; he was ordered to complete an anger management course and pay $967.17 in restitution.

Hicks is described as a light-skinned black male. He is 6 feet, 4 inches tall, 160 pounds, with brown eyes and short hair. He might be driving a white 2006 Chevrolet pickup truck with a chrome toolbox in the bed, displaying Washington license plate number A68135Z.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to call either 911 or the Seattle Police Homicide Unit at 206-233-5000.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com

Jack Broom: 206-464-2222 or jbroom@seattletimes.com