The U.S. Marshals Service arrested Isaiah Jamon Andrews, 20, in St. Louis, Missouri, on Wednesday, ending a five-month manhunt for the Seattle homicide suspect who was mistakenly released from a California jail in October 2025. Andrews is accused of fatally shooting Theodore Wheeler IV, 20, in Seattle’s Northgate neighborhood on October 15, 2025.
Andrews was initially arrested in Antioch, California, three days after the shooting following a vehicle pursuit involving multiple law enforcement agencies. He was booked into the Contra Costa County Jail on a temporary homicide warrant tied to the Seattle case, as well as a juvenile warrant out of Sacramento and local charges.
However, jail staff mistakenly released Andrews on October 22, 2025, despite him being held on multiple warrants. The error was not discovered until after his release, prompting a multi-agency manhunt. The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office launched a search but failed to locate Andrews, who remained at large until his arrest in Missouri.
Authorities have not publicly explained how the release occurred. Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes acknowledged the mistake in October, stating it was an error that would have been handled differently in hindsight. Andrews is expected to be extradited to Washington state to face a first-degree murder warrant.
The victim’s mother told King 5 in October that authorities did not inform her of Andrews’ accidental release. The case has raised questions about jail procedures and oversight, though no official review or policy changes have been announced.
Andrews was taken into custody without incident in St. Louis and will be transferred to King County Jail for further investigation.