Dead Man Was Key Fugitive In Violent Drug Ring

Federal marshals and Seattle police are investigating whether a man found shot to death in a University District apartment Saturday came to Seattle to recruit students as "mules" to carry cocaine and marijuana for a new drug-trafficking business.

Authorities say they are searching for a man who was believed to be in the basement apartment in the 5000 block of 11th Avenue Northeast when the victim, Peter Hall, 31, was shot in the side of the head.

They also are looking at the possibility that the victim, also known as Hassan Anderson, was killed in retaliation for at least two East Coast drug killings.

"Hall was one of the Marshal Service's `15 Most Wanted Fugitives' and the Justice Department had already authorized seeking the death penalty for him," according to Denny Behrend of the marshal's fugitive task force here.

Hall was indicted by a federal grand jury in Norfolk, Va., Dec. 8 for allegedly conspiring to distribute cocaine and marijuana and to committing murder to further that conspiracy.

The victim in that May murder was Derrick Taylor, once Hall's most trusted assistant in the drug ring, Behrend said.

"Taylor was suspected of withholding money from Hall and therefore was no longer trustworthy, apparently," Behrend said.

Hall also is suspected of at least one other killing, that of Antwain Mathis, another member of his drug-ring operation, in July.

Hall apparently fled Virginia in November after DEA agents attempted to arrest him.

"Authorities back there and the Drug Enforcement Administration say that Hall liked to recruit college coeds as mules to carry drugs for him. That is one of trademarks of his organization, that and the fact they have a history of being heavily armed and very violent," Behrend said.

He said the investigation is also looking at the possibility Hall was killed in retaliation for the death of either Taylor or Mathis.

Marshals here began tracking Hall in September on a tip from Virginia. "We now believe he has been here at least off and on, maybe not consistently, since May," said Behrend.