In the News: Debbie Cashio

Recent events have brought Debbie Cashio’s name back to the news. The DNA of a man convicted for murder in Florida was matched to Debbie Cashio’s death in 2001. That man was recently extradited to Colorado and charged with a 1996 murder there, bringing new questions about why he has not yet been charged here. Madison Wade of King 5 news is covering this story.

Debbie Cashio was the first person Women in Black stood vigil for.

WHEEL is an organizing effort of homeless and formerly homeless women. In the late 90s our community was hammered by several horrific deaths. Our hearts were broken again by the dehumanizing, victim-blaming way those deaths were treated in the media. We decided to stand vigil for homeless people who died outside or by violence, to raise up the dignity of homeless people in death and in life. We focused on those deaths primarily because they were those most often demeaned and dismissed. We chose the model of Women in Black, a world wide movement that began with Israeli and Palestinian women standing together for an end to violence. We stand for an end to the violence of homelessness, the violence of dehumanization, the violence of indifference.

Debbie Cashio was the first person we stood Vigil for. We stood Vigil for a total of five people that first year, 2000. In 2022 we stood for 281. The number of people who are homeless has grown much faster than the supply of shelter and affordable housing, and without shelter people die.
There are also signs of hope. The way homeless people are spoken of in the media, in public conversation and among legislators has changed. We deeply appreciate how tenderly Morgan Wade has treated Debbie and her family.

The King County Medical Examiner has always treated homeless people with care and dignity. We are still waiting for the same level of commitment from the Seattle Police. Homeless people are victims of homicide at a much higher rate than housed people and their murders are solved at a much lower rate. There are understandable reasons that the murder of someone with no fixed address and no regular routine may be hard to solve, but the killer of Debbie Cashio has been known for years! Why is he not yet charged?

Closure in this case is important to Debbie’s daughter. It is important to all homeless women in Seattle, too. Do the Seattle Police take our safety seriously? Would they take our deaths seriously?
Thank you again to Morgan Wade, for pursuing justice for Debbie Cashio.

Debbie Cashio was the first person for whom Women in Black stood vigil.

WHEEL is an organizing effort of homeless and formerly homeless women. In the late 90s our community was hammered by several horrific deaths. Our hearts were broken again by the dehumanizing, victim-blaming way those deaths were treated in the media. We decided to stand vigil for homeless people who died outside or by violence, to raise up the dignity of homeless people in death and in life. We focused on those deaths primarily because they were those most often demeaned and dismissed. We chose the model of Women in Black, a worldwide movement that began with Israeli and Palestinian women standing together for an end to violence. We stand for an end to the violence of homelessness, the violence of dehumanization, the violence of indifference.

We resolved to start standing in January 2000. We learned of Debbie’s death in late May, by word of mouth, and called the Medical Examiner to confirm. We stood vigil for her in early June, beginning a tradition of standing on the Wednesday after confirmation of a death.

We did not know Debbie personally, but we visited the site of her death. There was police tape there. There was a sleeping bag underneath the tree where she was found. We felt incredibly saddened. “I could have died here,” one woman said. When you are homeless you are scared all the time. Even if you get housing, it can take years for the fear to fade. Every death you hear about feels personal.

Later “Crimestoppers” leaflets showed up at women’s service places asking for info. The police were not sharing any information though, and just referred to “a suspicious death.”

When we heard, years later, that Debbie’s death was murder and her murderer had been identified, we weren’t really surprised. We had suspected it was murder all along. We still felt vulnerable.

We stood Vigil for a total of five people that first year, 2000. In 2022 we stood for 291. The number of people who are homeless has grown much faster than the supply of shelter and affordable housing, and without shelter people die.

There are also signs of hope. The way homeless people are spoken of in the media, in public conversation and among legislators has changed. We deeply appreciate how tenderly Morgan Wade and KING5 TV News has treated Debbie and her family.

The King County Medical Examiner has always treated homeless people with care and dignity. We are still waiting for the same level of commitment from the Seattle Police. Homeless people are victims of homicide at a much higher rate than housed people and their murders are solved at a much lower rate. There are understandable reasons that the murder of someone with no fixed address and no regular routine may be hard to solve, but the killer of Debbie Cashio has been known for years! Why is he not yet charged?

Closure in this case is important to Debbie’s daughter. It is important to all homeless women in Seattle, too. Do the Seattle Police take our safety seriously? Would they take our deaths seriously?

Debbie Cashio’s Leaf of Remembrance