Teen charged as adult in murder of Shoreline woman

SHORELINE, Wash. — On the evening of May 18, calls for help came from Shoreline to Ballinger Homes, a place that provides subsidized housing for seniors and families. The sound of gunshots caused residents to flee.

Court documents share details from prosecutors who say 16-year-old Jaden Taylor, who lives at the Shoreline complex, had a gun pointed at a woman's head. Another resident, BillyJo Perkins, 50, was walking her dog when she saw what was happening and tried to intervene.

Taylor allegedly responded by shooting Perkins three times at close range, three times. She died on the spot.

One of the bullets also struck a teenager who was nearby.

Investigators said Taylor fled but was identified in surveillance video and arrested late last week, according to the King County Prosecutor's Office.

“State law also requires, in circumstances like this, that he be charged as an adult. So that's what happened here,” said Casey McNerthney, spokesperson from the King County Prosecutor's Office.

Shoreline's most recent public safety report shows three homicides in 2022 and two last year.

In this most recent case, the allegations against the accused teen led prosecutors to request that Taylor be held on $2 million bail.

“When you have evidence like this and allegations like this, we looked at it and clearly thought these charges were appropriate given what we believe we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt,” McNerthney said .

Taylor is expected in King County Superior Court on June 6.