LYNNWOOD — A Lynnwood woman died two months after she was shot by a stranger who had broken into her home.
In August, Julia Altukhova was identified as one of four people shot in a deadly spree spanning Marysville and Lynnwood. She was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle along with her husband, where she remained in critical condition for about nine weeks.
On Oct. 18, the mother of two was pronounced dead from her injuries, the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed this month. She was 32.
The delay in the announcement of her death was a matter of communication with the family liaison, medical examiner’s operations manager Nicole Daugherty said Tuesday.
An obituary noted Altukhova was born in Saratov, Russia, and earned a master’s degree in zoology.
“For years, Julia immersed herself in the study of sea lions and fur seals, taking part in field research in the remote and untamed regions of the Bering Sea and Pacific Ocean,” the obituary read. “Surrounded by the beauty of nature and the majesty of wildlife, she fearlessly worked alongside bears, foxes, otters, seals, and myriads of soaring birds. Her dedication to the animal kingdom was an inspiration to all who knew her.”
Her husband, Alexey Altukhov, was discharged from the hospital in September, Harborview spokesperson Susan Gregg said Tuesday.
On the morning of Aug. 10, Gilbert “Alex” Escamilla forced his way into the Altukhov home at 164th Street SW and 48th Place West, according to charging papers. Prosecutors believe he had just fled the scene of another shooting 25 miles north in Marysville, where he fatally shot a man, later identified as Ryan Ezzy, outside an apartment complex. Ezzy was 35.
At 6:50 a.m. Altukhova called 911, reporting a man with a gun was fighting with her husband, charging papers say. She told the dispatcher she’d been sleeping when the man broke in, and that the intruder was a stranger.
Security footage showed Escamilla chasing Altukhov and shooting inside the home before leaving to get in the couple’s gray Toyota RAV4 parked outside. He went back into the house when he heard screaming, where he reportedly shot Altukhova and Altukhov’s mother, Tatyana Voynova.
First responders arrived to find Voynova, 68, in the living room with a fatal gunshot to the head. In adjacent bedrooms, Altukhov and Altukhova were critically wounded. Their two young children, who were hiding in the closet, were uninjured.
Escamilla, 31, has been charged with two counts each of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder, one count of first-degree burglary, two counts of unlawful firearm possession, one count of motor vehicle theft and one count of attempting to elude police.
Altukhova is survived by her parents, husband and two children.
“Julia’s warmth, her love for both art and animals, and her boundless spirit will always be cherished and celebrated by those whose lives she touched,” the obituary read.
As of Tuesday, donors had raised over $143,000 in support of the Altukhov family.
“Rest in peace, dear Julia,” the obituary read.” You will forever be missed, and your memory will live on in the hearts of those who loved you.”
Maya Tizon: 425-339-3434; maya.tizon@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @mayatizon.
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