Transient Held In Seattle Slaying

Sat., June 21, 1997

Associated Press

A 47-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing death of a former Brainerd, Minn., man.

Karl Stockinger, described by investigators as a transient, was charged Thursday in the Tuesday slaying of Ronald Bourassa, 41, in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood.

Bourassa was stabbed once in the chest.

Charging papers say the two men argued over who could be in an alley, and when Stockinger walked away, Bourassa followed him.

Two other transients who were friends of Bourassa told police that Stockinger then turned around and stabbed Bourassa.

Stockinger said he told Bourassa he didn’t want to fight but stabbed him when Bourassa kept following him, charging papers said.

Stockinger was held in the King County Jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.

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