Suspect in vicious robbery of 68-year-old Seattle woman says he did it to pay cable TV bill



UPDATE:  King County prosecutors have charged Demicko Chatman with Robbery in the first degree, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm in the first degree and Attempting to Elude a Pursuing Police Vehicle.   Seattle Police say they arrested the suspect in a violent Rainier Beach purse snatching  after he fled from from police and crashed his vehicle on I-405 on June 21st.

Chatman will have an arraignment hearing on July 10th.  His bond is set at $400,000.

According to court documents, Chatman told detectives he committed the robbery for money to pay his mother's cable TV bill.  He has misdemeanor convictions for Attempted Residential Burglary, Obstructing Officers and Assault 4.  Chatman has had 12 warrants for his arrest since 2015.

Detectives says he was identified thanks to Q13 News viewer tips to Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound!

SEATTLE - From her neck to her knee, Mei Mei Yeung is bruised and banged up.

The violent robbery the 68-year-old woman had to endure will raise your blood pressure.

The graphic surveillance video shows Mei Mei walking home, when out of nowhere a man runs up to the driveway and attacks her from behind.

Mei Mei tries to fight back and you hear her muffled cries for help.

The robber takes her necklace then goes after her rings.



The rings are hard to come off and you hear Mei Mei telling the robber she would just give it to him.

The South Seattle woman says that’s the point she felt the most helpless, when she was knocked down to the ground unable to get up.

The 40 seconds of terror end after the robber gets the rings and you see him run off with the victim’s purse as well.

“I think with the adrenaline she ended up chasing him to his car. You know, she's a fighter at the end of the day,” son in law Kevin Lo said.

The robber is also caught on video taking off in a black sedan.

Mei Mei shared with Q13 News a picture of one of the rings he got away with.

“It can be anyone's mom, your mom, your sister, your grandma, you. It can happen to anybody and in a quiet neighborhood like this it's shocking,” Lo said.

The incident happened on Wednesday around 11:30 a.m. along 61st Avenue S.

Lo says this isn't the first time his mother-in-law has been robbed.

“She was robbed at Chinatown ID for her necklace, someone came and snatched her necklace off her neck,” Lo said.

Over the years in Seattle, there have been a rash of incidents of Asian women being robbed for their jewelry and cash.

Mei Mei says the previous incident happened 4 years ago and she never reported the incident to Seattle Police.

This time, the family isn’t staying quiet.

“By not saying anything you are not helping anybody, you are hurting yourself and your community. That's why we are here talking to you,” Lo said.

The family desperately wants the vicious attacker off the streets, not just for them but the community.

Mei Mei’s family had to translate on her behalf during the interview on Thursday.

Seattle Police detectives are investigating this case.

There is also a reward for anyone who can identify the suspect in the video. Crime Stoppers of Puget Sound is offering up to a $1,000 reward.  Call 1-800-222-TIPS or submit information at www.P3Tips.com or download the P3 Tips App to your cell phone for free. It is anonymous.

Police say even if you have a language barrier to always report a crime because they have people who can help in many languages.