Seattle senior citizen beaten to death by murder suspect released by judge days prior

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Shocking new video shows a senior citizen fatally beaten in broad daylight in Seattle by a suspect who reportedly had been released from jail just days before for allegedly threatening to kill a police officer. 

Aaron Justin Fulk, 48, remains held at King County Jail on $2.5 million bond as of Monday. 

He was initially arrested and charged with attempted first-degree murder and assault after allegedly bludgeoning another man — 66-year-old Rodney Peterman — with a large metal pole on Aug. 2. 

An officer witnessed the murderous broad daylight beating happening just after 2 p.m. near 3rd Avenue and Pike Street. Seattle police said officers took the suspect into custody and began first aid on the victim. Seattle Fire medics took over treatment and rushed the senior citizen to Harborview Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries without ever regaining consciousness four days later. 

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Aaron Fulk seen in King County courtroom.  (KCPQ )

The charge was then upgraded to first-degree murder, and Fulk pleaded not guilty on Thursday.  

Fulk, who has prior assault convictions in Idaho, was released from Pierce County Jail – located just about and hour’s drive south of Seattle – just eight days before the deadly unprovoked attack. 

The Seattle Times reported that Fulk had been released on his own recognizance after being charged with felony harassment in July for allegedly threatening to kill a transit security officer in Tacoma, Washington. Pierce County prosecutors requested that he be held on $10,000 bail, but Judge Phillip Thornton released him without bail and ordered him not to commit any crimes, KOMO reported. 

Seattle police cars by shopping district.  (KCPQ )

"We can’t just let people out if they’re harming our community, if they’re victimizing other people" Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz told KOMO in a recent on-camera interview. "We’ve got to have measures in place, we’ve got to have accountability." 

KOMO obtained security camera footage allegedly showing Fulk beating Peterman mercilessly in front of several witnesses. 

Court documents include a photo of the weapon Aaron Fulk allegedly used in the deadly beating.  (KCPQ )

According to charging papers, Fulk wielded a large metal pull-up bar above his head before delivering several blows to the back of Peterman’s head. He allegedly continued to beat Peterman even after he fell to the ground and grew unresponsive. It’s unclear if the two men knew each other. 

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KOMO said the video shows Good Samaritan, Loren Page, rushing to intervene. 

"No one deserves to be brutally beat like that," Page said. "I apologize for not being there, one more club strike earlier. It’s unacceptable. It should not happen in any city. We should do something about it."

Editors's note: The headline on this report has been edited for clarity.