Former Auburn Police Department officer Jeffrey Nelson was convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree assault for the May 31, 2019 shooting of 26-year-old Jesse Sarey outside Sunshine Grocery in Auburn, Washington. The case became a landmark Washington police-accountability prosecution under Initiative 940.
This story is based on multiple sources, including the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s official case memo, a Port of Seattle Police Department investigative summary, Associated Press coverage of the verdict, Associated Press coverage of the sentencing, KUOW coverage, and Auburn Examiner coverage of the city’s statement.
Reported incident
According to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s memo, the shots were fired at about 6:16 p.m. on May 31, 2019, near the entrance of Sunshine Grocery at 1402 Auburn Way North in Auburn. The Port of Seattle Police Department investigative summary identified the involved agency as the Auburn Police Department and the involved officer as Officer Jeff Nelson, reporting that Nelson used a sidearm to fire two shots.
The investigative summary reported that Nelson had responded to disturbance calls in the area and later relocated to the Sunshine Grocery parking lot with the intent of arresting Sarey for disorderly conduct. The report stated that Nelson contacted Sarey near the store entrance, where a struggle occurred. It also noted that Nelson’s in-car camera did not capture the shooting because of the position of his vehicle, but that audio was recorded and two exterior cameras captured portions of the contact from a distance.
Allegations and prosecution theory
Prosecutors alleged Nelson ignored his training and unnecessarily escalated the encounter into deadly force. AP reported that prosecutors said Nelson punched Sarey several times, shot him in the abdomen, cleared a jammed round, and then fired a second shot into Sarey’s forehead seconds later.
The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s memo later explained the charging theory: second-degree murder was tied to the fatal first shot, while first-degree assault was tied to the second shot, after Sarey was incapacitated and on the pavement.
Defense account
Nelson claimed self-defense. The Port of Seattle investigative summary reported that Nelson described a struggle in which Sarey resisted, struck him, tried to grab his gun, and took a folding knife from Nelson’s jumpsuit pocket. Nelson stated that he believed Sarey still posed a threat when he fired the second shot.
AP reported that Nelson’s defense argued Sarey escalated the encounter when he allegedly went for Nelson’s gun. The jury rejected the defense and found Nelson guilty on both counts.
Charges
King County prosecutors charged Nelson on August 20, 2020 with murder and felony assault. He pleaded not guilty on August 24, 2020. The trial began in spring 2024, with opening statements on May 16, 2024.
Conviction
On June 27, 2024, a King County jury convicted Nelson of second-degree murder and first-degree assault in the death of Jesse Sarey. AP reported that Nelson was taken into custody after the verdict.
Sentencing
On January 23, 2025, King County Superior Court Judge Nicole Gaines Phelps sentenced Nelson to 200 months for second-degree murder and 123 months for first-degree assault. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently, for a total of 200 months in custody, followed by 36 months of community custody.
AP reported that Nelson’s defense said it would appeal.
Lawsuits and settlements
AP reported that Auburn settled a civil rights claim brought by Sarey’s family for $4 million. AP also reported that the city had paid nearly $2 million more to settle other litigation over Nelson’s actions as a police officer. Those civil settlements are reported as settlements, not as civil trial verdicts.
Official statements
After sentencing, King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said in the official case memo that the jury found Nelson’s actions were not above the law and that the sentence reflected the serious nature of his crimes. The memo described the case as the first time an officer had been tried, convicted, and sentenced in Washington under Initiative 940 reforms.
After the verdict, the City of Auburn said it respected the jury’s verdict, that its internal administrative investigation would proceed under city employment policies and the collective bargaining agreement, and that a state certification hearing would address whether Nelson’s certification should be denied, suspended, or revoked.
Uncorroborated claims
No independent uncorroborated claims are included in this story. The incident details above are attributed to official investigative records, court and prosecutor records, courtroom reporting, or named media reports.
