A Seattle man received a 20-year sentence for the 2023 fatal shooting of a woman behind the Muckleshoot Casino.
On Feb. 20, a King County Superior Court judge sentenced Marketha McCoy, 24, to 240 months — 20 years — in prison for second-degree murder, after pleading guilty to the crime on Dec. 11, 2025. This charge stems from the June 28, 2023, fatal shooting of Kayshia B. Hardiman, 37.
Documents state that with one adult felony and six juvenile felonies, McCoy has an offender score of seven, putting the range for his sentence between 216 and 316 months — between 18 years and about 26 years. As part of a felony plea agreement, McCoy agreed to request confinement of no less than 180 months (15 years). Additionally, as part of his plea agreement and amended information in his second-degree murder charge, a mandatory firearm enhancement would not be added to McCoy’s sentence.
Prosecutor Don Raz recommended that McCoy receive a 240-month sentence and requested that the judge not follow the defense’s request for a sentence below the standard range. The defense requested a sentence of 180 months.
Raz said a few reasons why a 180-month sentence was not appropriate are the nature of the crime, McCoy’s criminal history and arguments for the shooting being accidental being undermined by evidence of multiple rounds fired at the scene. Additionally, the defense argued that McCoy was only 21 at the time of the crime, warranting a sentence below the standard range, but Raz said that was not a mitigating factor, as McCoy will be released in his late 30s or early 40s.
“Even at 40, 41, 42 years old, the defendant will have decades of life left to enjoy, hopefully crime free,” Raz stated. “Kayshia will never have such enjoyment. She has been robbed of her decades by the defendant.”
In a victim impact statement, Hardiman’s mother wrote that Hardiman was sweet, kind, lovable, and loved by everyone. The mother said that Hardiman will be most missed by her sons, who still ask about her and about when she will be back home. Additionally, Hardiman’s mother stated that she did not want a sentence less than 15 years, and believed McCoy should have received a sentence of life without parole as he took her daughter’s life, and the sentence should be a life for a life.
Details of the case
According to documents, at about 4:15 a.m. June 28, 2023, Auburn officers were dispatched to an illegal discharge near the Green Tree Condos. Multiple callers reported hearing gunshots and then a woman screaming, “He shot me.” Another caller stated that they heard arguing prior to the gunshots.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found Hardiman on the ground. Life-saving measures were attempted, but she was pronounced dead at 4:29 a.m. Officers located numerous items near Hardiman, such as liquor, drug paraphernalia, .40 caliber shell casings, a purse and a wallet. When officers discovered her, her bottom half was not clothed.
Officers were then handed a note by a witness who told officers that they saw who would later be identified as McCoy walking with a girl before they heard shots fired. The witness told officers that after they heard the gunshots, they saw McCoy running, and he told the witness, “She is crazy, she is losing it, don’t listen to her.” The witness said that McCoy then ran toward an apartment unit.
Documents state that officers located traffic cameras and cameras from the nearby Big Nation Station gas station that captured Hardiman’s death.
Officers found that a man they identified as McCoy was walking with Hardiman before they stopped at a fence shared with the Muckleshoot Casino and the Green Tree Condo property. Documents state that on the camera, McCoy and Hardiman are seen at about 3:59 a.m., beginning to engage in intercourse. At 4:11 a.m., McCoy is seen standing up, adjusting his pants, then pulling out an object, and two muzzle flashes are seen on camera.
Documents state that McCoy is then seen running, and Hardiman is seen taking a few steps after the muzzle flashes before falling to the ground. The events shown on video are consistent with what the witness told officers.
An autopsy found that Hardiman died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the front left of her chest, penetrating her heart and left lung. The bullet was found inside her chest cavity.
