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The Murder that TikTok Helped Solve
The app was a key witness in solving the murder.
Introduction
2020 has been a crazy year for everyone. We have lost countless lives this year and Jessica Lewis and Austen Wenner were just two of them. The year has also brought us the rise of TikTok. I’m sure we all know what TikTok is at this point as the most followed TikToker has almost 100 million followers. This murder case shows us that technology is detrimental in society nowadays.
The Case
This murder takes place in Seattle, Washington during the summer of 2020. Two teenagers were walking in West Seattle by the shore and they were filming TikTok’s on June 19th. The two teenagers saw body bags and walked towards them. One of the teenagers grabbed a stick and opened the bag on camera and that was how they found the bodies.
The two dead bodies were Jessica Lewis and Austen Wenner. They were a couple. Austen was shot once while Jessica was shot seven times. There were questions as to why Jessica was shot seven times and Austen was only shot once.
The police tracked Jessica and Austen back to a house in Burien, Washington, which is around 11 miles south of Seattle. The investigators found out that Jessica and Austen were renting a room in a house from a man named Michael Lee Dudley.
The Arrest and Evidence
Michael Lee Dudley was arrested on August 19th, 2020, for the murders of Jessica Lewis and Austen Wenner. The investigation led the police to Michael Lee Dudley with some strong evidence. The cops believe Dudley shot Jessica and Austen on June 16th, 2020, 3 days before their bodies were found. The investigation found that there was a disagreement about payment for the room which led to an argument, where neighbors of Michael Lee Dudley’s house recalled hearing screaming that night. Upon further investigation, the room that Jessica and Austen were staying in was also recently cleaned and a fresh coat of paint was put on the walls.
Conclusion
Michael Lee Dudley was booked into King County Jail on August 19th, 2020, with his bail set at 5 million dollars. It seems the motive for the murder was a disagreement over rent and payment. The TikTok has since been removed. This case shows how there is technology everywhere in the world and even though people might not like TikTok those bodies might have never been found without the app.
