Intruder discovered living in basement of Magnolia home – KIRO 7 News Seattle

SEATTLE – Some scary moments in a Magnolia neighborhood after a stranger was discovered in a family’s basement.

He told the police that he had been there for a few days.

This has shaken the people who live there because they say this is at least the second time in a year that an intruder has been found in someone’s home.

The neighborhood borders on Discovery Park. Some neighbors believe that the intruder discovered the house.

There is talk of wealthy, close-knit Lawtonwood, a 56-year-old Minnesota man who was discovered in the basement of a house.

“Well, we saw it, my wife saw it on the Internet,” said Joseph Huber. “There was an email here from the house association.”

Huber has lived in Lawtonwood for more than 30 years. He says it is rare, if not uncommon, for an intruder to find their way into a house in this neighborhood in the very large shadow of Discovery Park.

“It’s a surprise,” said Huber. “Yes. But it can happen. It can happen.”

Relatives living in the house heard a noise just after midnight early Monday morning, according to the homeowners association email. So they called the Seattle police.

Then the officers discovered Thomas Gene Lewellen in the basement. He told officers he was hungry, came into the house on Saturday morning, found food and settled in.

He claims he arrived in Seattle only 21 days ago, has just been released from Texas jail and received a one-way ticket to Emerald City.

Nobody knows how he discovered Discovery Park, however

Huber and his neighbors say there is a homeless camp nearby.

“They come around in the park,” said Huber. “You stay in the park. And they say, ‘Well, beautiful, beautiful area. Listen.’ “”

The suspect was held for burglary but was reduced to criminal assault.

Lewellen was tried in the Seattle Municipal Court, where the judge ordered him to be assessed to see if he had jurisdiction to stand trial.

He has now been released from King County Jail.