EVERETT — The trial of a Lynnwood man accused of killing his cousin began Tuesday.
Filmon T. Habtemariam, 27, is charged with first-degree murder in the 2008 death of Tekelet Habtemariam. The defendant is accused of shooting his cousin three times in the back of the head.
Tekelet Habtemariam, 27, was driving the accused and another man home from an Everett bar early July 8, Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Chris Dickinson wrote in charging papers.
The defendant was sitting in the backseat, behind his cousin when he asked him to stop the car, according to court papers. Filmon Habtemariam is accused of then pulling out a handgun he took from his roommate and shooting his cousin in the back of the head, killing him instantly, Dickinson said.
The car crashed into a fence and the defendant ran off. He was arrested a short distance away.
Police believe the defendant went home before his arrest. They recovered a .38-caliber handgun in some bushes not far from the car, according to court documents. Detectives also reported finding bloody clothing in the defendant’s apartment, Dickinson wrote.
Filmon Habtemariam told detectives after his arrest that he didn’t know anything about his cousin’s death.
The defendant underwent a mental health evaluation after questions arose about his competency and ability to assist in his defense. Court records show he was hospitalized after receiving a grazing gunshot wound to the head during a gang-related shooting at a Seattle nightclub in 2000. He later was treated for unspecified mental health issues.
Testimony in the case is expected to continue today.
Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.
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