Police Seek Public’s Help Locating Suspected Emerald Queen Casino Murderer

The US Marshals Service, in conjunction with the Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force (PNVOTF) and Tacoma Police Department (TPD), is seeking public assistance in locating 29-year-old Elijah Dominick Hylton. Hylton is a suspect in the murder of Ty Jenkins, a rival gang member, at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington, that took place in August 2020. Authorities state that the incident occurred around 10 pm on August 8, 2020, following a confrontation on the casino gaming floor. Surveillance footage shows Hylton leaving the casino, shooting Jenkins, and subsequently fleeing the scene in a red Toyota Corolla. An arrest warrant for first-degree murder was issued for Hylton in January 2023.

The investigation identified Hylton as the shooter through security footage and social media images. Notably, Hylton wore four large rings on his left hand, which he later pawned at a local shop—details that matched with the surveillance footage. Hylton is described as approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighing around 160 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. Despite the belief that Hylton may still be in the Puget

This dramatic case has brought immense focus to the criminal elements sometimes intersecting with the gambling world. In 2022, Hylton’s brother, David Sekou Sebowa Ward, was arrested for allegedly acting as the getaway driver. Ward is charged with first-degree murder and remains in custody awaiting trial. This connection between siblings presents a chilling facet of coordinated criminal activity, adding layers of complexity to the case as authorities work to piece together all involved parties.

Moreover, the discovery of a 9 mm pistol and a rifle in Jenkins’ vehicle further muddles the context. Ballistics tests connected the pistol to four prior shootings, including another homicide, implying that Jenkins himself might have been involved in several criminal incidents. This information forms the hypothesis that Jenkins was a targeted individual due to his supposed involvement in a gun sale-related robbery earlier in the year—a robbery that implicated Hylton. In a retaliatory attack in July 2020, two men were shot with casings matching those from Jenkins’ pistol, suggesting a violent feud with high stakes. The entanglement of these elements paints a vivid picture of the dangerous interplay between gambling and criminal activities, underscoring the lengths to which law enforcement will go to solve such intricate cases.