Suspect Nabbed In Pfaeffle Shooting

Washington state police arrested and booked a Seattle man for second-degree murder and assault stemming from the July 19 shooting death of sound engineer Tom Pfaeffle.

Police said Pfaeffle, 49, owner of The Tank Studio near Seattle, was shot when he and his wife returned to the Blue Spruce Hotel in Twisp where they were staying and mistakenly tried to open the wrong hotel room, according to the Seattle Times.

Twisp Police Chief Rick Balam told the paper the room’s occupant, Kino Michael Gomez, 57, was allegedly sleeping with two handguns and reportedly thought someone was trying to break in. Gomez reportedly fired two shots through the door – one hitting Pfaeffle in the chest and the other reportedly piercing the wall of a room next door.

Pfaeffle was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he died, the paper said.

The renowned sound man worked and toured with numerous artists including Nirvana, The Black Crowes, Great White, Heart, Aerosmith, B.B. King and others in his 30-plus-year career.

He also shared his audio production skills with students at the Art Institute of Seattle.

Gomez was being held on $100,000 bail at press time and is scheduled for arraignment July 30, the Times said.