FBI Doing Gun Roundup To Try To Solve Tom Wales Murder

K O M O TV ^ | July 15, 2003 | Michelle Esteban

[archy]

FBI Doing Gun Roundup To Try To Solve Tom Wales Murder

July 15, 2003

By Michelle Esteban

SEATTLE - Gun owners say the FBI is rounding up pistols in a nationwide effort to solve the murder of Tom Wales, a federal prosecutor from Seattle.

It's been 19 months since Wales was gunned down in his Queen Anne home. The feds are looking for Makarov pistols -- a special kind of gun that may have been used in the killing.

Wade's Gun Shop in Bellevue describes it as an inexpensive, but "very reliable" pistol.

According to "Mak" owners, the FBI is looking for pistols that have been fitted with replacement barrels.

John Grove of Virginia, a Mak owner, got a call from the FBI in January. "(The agent) said he was trying to find a particular weapon used in a murder and they were rounding up all these Federal Arms Corporation barrels from Makarovs," says Grove.

Federal Arms is a Minnesota-based importer. "I think it's a fishing expedition...I was surprised they (FBI) received my purchase records," says Grove.

The FBI confiscated Grove's gun, and he's not the only one: "Here's another one: 'They are indeed working the case of U.S. Attorney Tom Wales,' " said Dave Workman, senior editor at "Gun Week." He uncovered dozens of chat room postings - most of them Mak owners talking about the FBI, the Mak pistols, and the Tom Wales murder investigation.

"This has been on the internet for months," says Workman.

One source told Gun Week the Makarov in question was outfitted with a replacement barrel and that the killer used the wrong ammunition. "That's why they're doing all these tests, they're trying to find a rifling match," says Workman. He says a match could link a shell casing to a pistol, and to the killer.

KOMO 4 News talked to the FBI. They won't deny or confirm the pistol roundup -- they won't comment on pending investigations.

"I don't have any doubt, I think it is linked to the Wales case," says Workman. "I hope the FBI really goes out and gets the bad guy who's done it."

We do know the FBI is offering a million dollar reward to find Tom Wales killer.

Earlier this year, we reported a Seattle Times investigation had linked the Wales case to a Bellevue pilot. The paper reported Wales prosecuted the man for fraud and that the pilot was the center of a secret grand jury investigation.

[archy]

The February 8th Seattle Times report on a possible suspect in the killing of Wales can be found *here.*

[archy]

*Bang list "Unintended Consequences" ping

[Servant of the Nine]

PING

Tell us all Westy.

So9

[archy]

the late anti-gun ownership activist Tom Wales:

[lelio]

bump

[Joe Brower]

[archy]

[bc2]

I didn't know silencers were legal in Texas. Interesting...

[ChefKeith]

Gee... what happened to the saveall "drugfire" tracking system?

Did anybody check for links to Arkincide?

[jordan8]

Outrageous, and outrageous that anyone would cooperate with the FBI in this.

[archy]

Did anybody check for links to Arkincide?

The intention seems to be for the FBI to hang the crime on soom poor goof of a Makarov owner who got his replacement stainless barrel from Federal Arms Corp, using evidence they've altered or manufactured in the FBI's appropriately-named *crime lab.*

That does suggest the possibility that the Wales hit could be related to the prosecution and conviction of a couple of feds in another case with Pacific Northwest ties that does indeed also have links to drugrunning flights into Mena, Arkansas.

Some details *here*.

-archy-/-

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Good thing there is no gun registration and the FBI doesn't keep records on background checks or honest citizens could have their pistols confiscated.

[pabianice]

I thought SCOTUS had ruled that such "fishing expeditions" are unconstitutional...

[LibTeeth]

I think these barrels were also sold by Sportsman's Guide mailorder catalog for a while, as well as a few other mail order places. Someone cagey enough to make their own wetwork special surely wouldn't hang on to the any of the pieces or order such parts under their own name. I wouldn't be surprised if this is just an attempt to harass away a particular aftermarket niche.

[Chad Fairbanks]

One source told Gun Week the Makarov in question was outfitted with a replacement barrel and that the killer used the wrong ammunition.

That settles it then - it musta been a gun nut... / sarcasm

[lelio]

Silencers are legal to own up here in WA state. You just can't shoot a bullet through them.
I believe you can down use a silencer in Oregon or Idaho, but I'm not sure.

From what I remember about the Wales shooting the neighbors heard the shots, meaning that a silencer probably wasn't used anyway.

[Travis McGee]

Yes, I'm sure the killer has this very Mak in his bedside night table, and when the FBI comes knocking, he will hand it right over.

What idiots.

"FAMOUS, BUT INCOMPETENT"

[Travis McGee]

Home made suppressors tyically are not very effective. That's what I heard.

[HurkinMcGurkin]

Home made suppressors tyically are not very effective. That's what I heard.

You mean that taping an empty 2 liter soda bottle on the end isn't an effective silencer?????

[lelio]

Home made suppressors tyically are not very effective. That's what I heard.
Well, obviously if you heard it it wasn't a very good silencer ;)