Elijah Belmont Murder of Henry King (Washington State)

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SUMMARY

Elijah Belmont, 24, was sentenced to 16 years in prison on May 22, 2025, in Whatcom County Superior Court for the shooting and stabbing death of Henry King in Bellingham, Washington. As of May 22, 2025: Belmont pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, accepting a plea deal due to prosecutorial concerns about proving premeditation and the validity of geofence warrants in Washington state. King, 48, was found dead on March 12, 2023, with multiple gunshot wounds and a stab wound. Belmont, who was 22 at the time of his arrest on December 7, 2023, confessed to the murder, though his claims of self-defense were contradicted by forensic evidence.

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May 2025 2 developments

  1. Elijah Belmont Sentenced to 16 Years for Henry King's Murder After Plea Deal

    Elijah Belmont was sentenced to 16 years in prison for the shooting and stabbing death of Henry King. Prosecutors accepted a plea deal for second-degree murder due to concerns about proving premeditation and the untested validity of geofence warrants in Washington state courts. King's family expressed strong objections to the plea deal and the resulting sentence.

December 2024 1 developments

November 2024 1 developments

  1. Elijah Belmont pleads guilty to second-degree murder in Henry King homicide

    Elijah Belmont, 24, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the 2023 death of Henry King in Bellingham, Washington. King, 48, was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds and a stab wound on March 12, 2023. Belmont's sentencing is scheduled for May 22, 2025, where he faces a potential sentence of up to life in prison.

December 2023 5 developments

  1. Elijah Belmont arrested, confesses to Henry King murder; faces first-degree murder charge

    Elijah Belmont, 22, was arrested and confessed to the murder of Henry King. Police recovered a 9mm pistol consistent with shell casings found at the scene, and cell phone data placed Belmont's phone in the area at the time of the incident. Belmont faces a first-degree murder charge.

  2. Forensic evidence contradicts Belmont's self-defense claim in King shooting

    Details emerged from the police report, including Belmont's claim of self-defense, stating King came at him with a knife after Belmont's knife failed. Belmont claimed he shot King twice in the stomach. However, forensic evidence contradicted this, suggesting King was shot while moving away and had additional wounds, including a stab wound in his lower back and shots to the thigh and neck. No knife belonging to King was found at the scene.

  3. Belmont Shoots King Multiple Times at Boulevard Park

    Belmont told police he had been drinking and went to Boulevard Park, where he was startled by King. He claimed King tried to punch him, and after a knife he pulled failed, King pulled his own knife. Belmont then stated he shot King multiple times when King continued to advance, and King subsequently jumped into the water. Belmont's account contradicted forensic evidence found at the scene.

April 2023 1 developments

March 2023 1 developments

  1. Detectives find blood, shell casings near where King's body was discovered

    Shortly after King's body was discovered, detectives found blood and 9mm shell casings approximately 175 yards from the water, suggesting King was either shot or stabbed near a bench and moved towards the railing before entering the water.