King County assessor John Wilson heading back to court for alleged stalking
Jul 7, 2025, 6:10 PM | Updated: 6:12 pm

King County Assessor John Wilson speaks at a county forum. (Photo courtesy of King County)
(Photo courtesy of King County)
King County Assessor John Wilson will be back in court Tuesday, following his arrest last week for allegedly stalking his ex-fianc茅e, Lee Keller, and for violating a court order to stay away from her.
The two had been involved in a long-term relationship that went bad. Wilson was arrested near Keller’s home last Wednesday night.
So far, the Seattle Police Department has not referred a case to the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office (KCPAO) for charges.
“The second appearance in district court is to let the defendant know if the case has been referred by police and if prosecutors intend to file charges,” Casey McNerthney with KCPAO explained.
If charges are filed, the case will be handled by the Snohomish County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
“The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office represents the assessor’s office and all county agencies. We thought, just to make sure that there is no question of a conflict of interest,” McNerthney said, regarding why it will be handled by a different county.
King County Assessor’s ex-fianc茅e continues to speak out
During Wilson’s initial court appearance following his arrest, Keller showed up unexpectedly and addressed the court.
“I’m here to tell you I’m very concerned about my safety,” Keller said in court. “I currently have an active restraining order in place and John Wilson continues to violate it.”
Wilson opted not to appear in court last week. However, his attorney, John Palito, was there representing him.
“Ms. Keller has stated John Wilson never assaulted her. There has never been any threats of physical assault. There are allegations that he violated an order of protection. That’s it,” Palito said.
There have been calls for Wilson to resign his position as King County assessor, and last month, the King County Council unanimously passed a vote of no confidence against him. But Wilson said he won’t step down and is currently running for King County executive.
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