A guy faces charges a decade after allegedly murdering a victim in Washington state using mechanical asphyxia and cleaning the body with oven cleaner.
Clay Fosse, now 37, faces a second-degree murder allegation in the killing of Thomas Hess in Seattle. According to a probable cause arrest affidavit acquired by Law&Crime, Hess’ roommates discovered him dead at 2 a.m. on February 14, 2015, in his residence on the 2300 block of 1st Avenue.
Cops reported that Hess was wrapped in blankets and wearing a perforated leather sheet or “mask” over his face. The affidavit indicated that his hands were chained behind his back with a shoelace. Detectives noticed the smell of oven cleaning on his body. They discovered a can of Easy-Off oven cleaning near to his feet.
The mortician’s report “revealed evidence of blunt force injuries to the face, neck, and torso which included several broken bones.” A medical examiner determined the cause of death as “probable mechanical asphyxia,” which is death caused by an obstruction of breathing routes.
Residents of the residential complex entered the building using a key card. According to records, the last time Hess entered the residence was just after 3 p.m. Feb. 12, 2015. According to the affidavit, surveillance camera footage showed him entering the building with an unknown male. The same man was seen leaving the building around seven hours later.
In the months following the crime, investigators submitted multiple pieces of evidence to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab, including nail clippings. More than a year later, a match was returned to Fosse, who was at the time in the Bernalillo County Jail in New Mexico on other charges, according to police. In August 2016, detectives submitted Fosse’s DNA to the crime lab, which verified a match.
In 2024, additional DNA samples were provided, including neck swabs. Police verified in May that the swabs came from Hess and Fosse.
According to records, Fosse is presently serving a prison sentence at the New Mexico Department of Corrections for aggravated violence with a deadly weapon. Police said Fosse has a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for kidnapping and wrongful imprisonment. He was also jailed in Washington state in the weeks following the alleged murder for assault and criminal trespass.
The affidavit did not provide a motive for the murder or explain how the suspect and victim met.
