Thief Demanded Woman, 88, Give Him Ring. Then He Bit Off Her Finger to Steal It — and He’s Still on the Run with Both

An 88-year-old Seattle woman was nearly beaten to death and left with permanent injuries after a violent robbery outside her home in broad daylight.

According to the Seattle Police Department, Emma Cotton was cleaning household items on her back porch on October 13 when a man approached her and demanded her belongings. The attacker then “brutally assaulted” Cotton, dragging her into the garage to continue the beating before biting off her finger to steal a ring. He fled the scene and remains at large.

Nearly a month later, Cotton’s three sons — Marvin, Ricky, and Wes — are speaking out to raise awareness and help identify the man responsible. Appearing on local television stations, they recounted the horror of the attack and their mother’s remarkable survival.

“Mom said she felt somebody breathing behind her, and as soon as she turned around, he just started punching her,” Ricky told KING. He later told KOMO that he’s amazed by her strength, adding, “My mom only weighs 100 pounds sopping wet… it was something spiritual that kept her alive.”

Marvin told KIRO that he could barely recognize his mother when he first saw her in the hospital. “Her head was as big as a basketball,” he said. Ricky added that doctors were unable to reattach her finger because the attacker had taken it with him after biting it off when she couldn’t remove her diamond ring.

Cotton was hospitalized in serious condition with multiple fractures and brain bleeds, spending three days in the Intensive Care Unit. She has since been transferred to a rehabilitation facility to continue her recovery.

Although Cotton has not spoken publicly, officers who responded to the scene said she believed “he was going to try to kill her.”

Seattle police have released surveillance images of the suspect and are asking anyone with information to contact the SPD Violent Crimes Tip Line at 206-233-5000. The investigation is now being handled jointly by Seattle Police, officers from Burien and Tukwila, and the King County Sheriff’s Office.