Editorial Standards

Latest News Today maintains rigorous editorial standards. Our team verifies information from trusted sources and provides context to help readers understand complex stories.

Last Updated: Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 07:10 PM
Category: Id

Editor's Note

Latest News Today provides comprehensive coverage and analysis of breaking news stories. This article is part of our ongoing coverage of wbna10253870, bringing you verified information from trusted sources with added context and expert perspective.

Why This Matters: Understanding the full context of this story helps readers make informed decisions and stay updated on developments that impact our community.

Parolee confesses to '95 killing in Washington

Saying he wanted to "make things right," a man  just released from prison in Washington state has confessed to shooting a man to death in 1995, police said.

A man who had just gotten out of prison confessed to shooting a man to death 10 years ago, telling police he wanted to “make things right.”

Michael Drake, 29, said he killed a man for failing to pay a drug debt, detectives said. He was charged Monday with first-degree murder and was jailed on $1 million bail.

Donte Jwon Red, 24, was found dead on a street in suburban Seattle shortly after midnight on Oct. 24, 1995. Red’s mother, Janet Stewart, said the family stayed in touch with detectives, but there were no suspects or leads.

But on Nov. 21, Drake was released from prison, where he had been sentenced for malicious mischief, and met with investigators.

According to court documents, Drake told investigators Red owed him money for drugs. Drake said he drove Red to a dark area near the Duwamish River, saying he had more drugs in the trunk, then shot him as he tried to flee.

Police said Red’s killing had been weighing on Drake, and detectives told The Seattle Times he talked of wanting to “make things right.”

Stewart told the newspaper she had come to accept that she might never learn who killed her son. “But at least now I know ... and we can put a face on the other side of that weapon. That helps to heal all of us.”