Police: murder-suicide at Aurora Ave. N. motel

Investigators Monday at the murder-suicide scene at the Way West Motel, 8600 Aurora Ave. N. (Casey McNerthney/seattlepi.com)

A man and woman were found dead Monday afternoon in what police described as a murder-suicide.

The bodies had stayed for days in Unit 11 of the Way West Motel at 8600 Aurora Ave. N. Neighbors had noticed the smell, and were shocked to hear of the deaths.

Police spokesman Mark Jamieson said it was not immediately clear how long the couple had been in the unit or who was the shooter.

At 12:24 p.m., police received a call from the motel manager saying he'd found the two dead. The man was found on the couch.

The Way West Motel, built in 1952, is not owned by Dean and Jill Inman, who recently made the news after the city charged them with criminal tax violations.

Police say the area is known for drug activity and prostitution, though last October, the manager of the Way West insisted to seattlepi.com that drug activity does not happen at the motel. Seattlepi.com was there with Seattle police who were investigating a man wanted for drug crimes.