A recently promoted Navy chief was found dead in her home this week in a case authorities are probing as a homicide, according to law enforcement and Navy officials.
Navy records indicate that Chief Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Mechanical) Andrea L. Washington, 37, was assigned to the guided-missile cruiser Hue City, which is homeported in Mayport, Florida.
Authorities began investigating her death after they received a medical emergency call in the 12500 block of Itani Way in Jacksonville shortly after midnight on Monday, Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office spokesman Officer Christian Hancock said.
Public records list Chief Washington’s residence at 12568 Itani Way.
Tim Crutchfield, an operations director with the Jacksonville Medical Examiner’s Office, identified Washington as the victim.
“Homicide detectives are conducting an active investigation at this time and further details of the incident will be made available at a later time,” Hancock added in an email.
Hancock said no arrests have been made in the case but foul play is suspected.
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Naval Criminal Investigative Service spokesman Ed Buice said that his agency is assisting in the probe.
Washington had filed a petition for a domestic violence protection order on Sept. 4. She alleged that a man in a relationship with her beat her on Sept. 1 and “pulled a gun on me,” according to the Duval County Court record.
Hancock said he did not know if the target of the restraining order is a suspect in Washington’s slaying.
A circuit court judge granted a temporary protective order on Sept. 5, and scheduled a hearing for Monday, according to court records.
“She was a mom, a daughter, a sister, a friend, mentor, and a shipmate,” Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Electrical) 2nd Class Tara Parramore said in a written statement to Navy Times.
A former recruiter from Texas, Washington brought Parramore into the Navy in 2013.
Parramore also is a Texas-based recruiter now and chose her rating because she wanted to emulate Washington.
Washington had three sons, knew every aspect of her job, always protected her junior sailors and “was never afraid to get her hands dirty and went tip for tap with the male engineers,” Parramore said.
She described Washington as “very kind, caring and loving” but also a private person who was “stern, by the book, knowledgeable, highly trained, protective” and “very accomplished.”
“If she ever had a problem, you would never know it,” she said. “The Navy, friends, and family lost a true gem.”
An enlisted surface warfare specialist, Washington enlisted in May 2001 and served aboard the guided-missile destroyers Gonzalez and Laboon.
Her decorations included three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.
“Please don’t let her death and the manner in which she was murdered overshadow who she was or her flawless Navy career,” Parramore said.
Geoff is the managing editor of Military Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.
