Beacon Hill couple's happy life began to fall apart, friend says

They clicked instantly and fell in love. Their friends thought they were the kind of couple who would be together forever.

But a friend says something changed in the past year. Daniel Thomas Hicks stopped working and, slowly, became possessive and temperamental, the friend said. Though depressed, he was excited about becoming a father, she said.

Seattle police are still searching for Hicks, whom they continue to call a "person of interest" in the slayings of his girlfriend of nine years, Jennifer "J" Morgan, and their baby girl, Ema. Morgan and her 13-week-old daughter were found fatally shot inside their Beacon Hill home just after 10 a.m. Tuesday by Morgan's mother, Renee.

Seattle police are investigating the deaths as "suspicious." No new information was available Wednesday, said police spokesman Mark Jamieson.

The King County Medical Examiner's Office has not released Jennifer and Ema Morgan's official cause of death.

On Wednesday, Renee Morgan's employers, owners of Tutta Bella Neapolitan Pizzeria, issued a statement expressing sympathy for the Morgan family and announcing that a memorial fund has been set up at the Washington Federal Savings Bank branch in Columbia City.

"Out of respect we are not commenting on the circumstances of this ongoing investigation," the statement says. "Tutta Bella is a close-knit family of caring and compassionate team members who are supporting each other at this difficult time."

Morgan, 28, grew up in the house where she was killed, said her friend, Bianca Robinson. Morgan and Hicks renovated the house's lower level, splitting living space and bills with Renee Morgan, she said.

Robinson met Jennifer Morgan in 2000 when Morgan was hired by the Seattle radiologist who employed Robinson at the time. Within months of starting that job, Morgan met Hicks, Robinson said.

"I know she was deeply in love with him," Robinson said. "They seemed like two people who would really stick it out."

Hicks, 29, didn't have many friends but quickly fell in with Morgan's circle, Robinson said. He worked at a hotel, and later in construction. He was always hospitable when friends dropped by, telling them, "Mi casa es su casa," she said.

When Morgan learned she was pregnant, "she made sure she ate really well and she quit smoking," Robinson said. "She was totally ready to be a mom, hands down."

Hicks seemed ready to be a parent, too, she said. Robinson bumped in to him a few months back: "He was excited about the baby," she said.

Two weeks ago, Robinson, Morgan, Morgan's sister, Hicks' sister and another friend met at a restaurant in downtown Seattle. It was the first time the women had gotten together since Ema was born, and they spent the time playing with the baby and talking "smack like we always do," Robinson said.

Last week, Robinson received a Christmas card with Ema's photo on the front.

"She's a beautiful baby," said Robinson, a mother of four. "I can't believe Ema didn't make it to her first Christmas."

Hicks has no major criminal history, according to court records.

But in 2002, he was convicted of attempted second-degree malicious mischief for kicking a dent into the side of a woman's car and shattering one of her windows after he accused the woman of hitting him as he crossed a downtown street.

Hicks, whose sentence was deferred, was ordered to attend anger-management classes and pay $967 in restitution.

According to Robinson, Morgan was a talented artist "who could close her eyes and draw something. ... She was her own unique person. She was true to herself, true to who she was, and it's something I always respected about her."

Robinson said she's struggling to understand why her friend is dead.

"I don't know what went wrong. ... But things changed," Robinson said. "Maybe she was hoping the old Daniel would come back. She thought he'd truly come around and thought if she stuck by his side, he'd get better."

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.

Sara Jean Green: 206-515-5654 or sgreen@seattletimes.com