Seattle teen accused of killing man for cell phone

SEATTLE - A 17-year-old is charged as an adult with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting a man to death in Seattle for his cell phone.

The King County prosecutor's office said Tuesday that Byron White shot David Peterson, 54, on Feb. 23 as he was on the phone to 911. Peterson had gone for a walk in his Greenwood neighborhood and encountered White in a parking lot.

Court documents obtained by the Seattle Post Intelligencer indicate police believe White went to an acquaintance's home after the murder and is alleged to have admitted to killing Peterson.

"He said that the man had seen his face, and he had to shoot him," a Seattle detective wrote to the court, according to the paper. "He showed his companions the phone he had finally taken from the man and expressed his disappointment that it was not a nicer model."

If convicted of murder and robbery charges with a firearms enhancement, the teen could be sentenced to more than 27 years in prison.

In Washington, juvenile defendants older than 15 who are accused of serious violent crimes are automatically prosecuted as adults, reports the Post Intelligencer.

White is being held on $2 million bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned March 17 in King County Superior Court.

White is a Ballard High School senior who played football. He was arrested Saturday, March 1 at Sea-Tac Airport as he tried to board a plane to Atlanta.