Officials identify Tacoma fatal stabbing victim

A 46-year-old man stabbed to death Aug. 8 in Tacoma was identified Thursday morning by the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Aaron Mathiason died of a single stab wound to the chest, according to a news release from the office. He was found in a grocery store parking lot in the 7200 block of Pacific Avenue around 10 p.m. Sunday and later died while undergoing surgery at Tacoma General Hospital.

Mathiason did not have a fixed address, according to the release. The office ruled his death a homicide.

According to court documents, the fatal stabbing stemmed from a drug deal. Police allegedly found suspected heroin, a loaded .22 caliber gun, ammunition and $397 cash in Mathiason’s backpack.

Pierce County prosecutors on Wednesday charged Shawn Shelby Teeter, 53, with second-degree murder in the stabbing of Mathiason. Superior Court Judge André Peñalver ordered him held without bail while he undergoes an evaluation to determine his competency to stand trial.

Teeter has several prior criminal convictions, including for first-degree manslaughter in connection with a fatal stabbing in 1994.

This story was originally published August 12, 2021 at 10:08 AM.