Attorneys are expected to give closing arguments today in the murder trial of a man accused of masterminding a deadly robbery at the Lakewood Walmart in 2009.

Odies Walker, 43, is charged with aggravated murder in the shooting death of Loomis armored car guard Kurt Husted at the Lakewood Walmart on June 2, 2009. He’s also been charged with assault, robbery, conspiracy to commit robbery and solicitation to commit robbery.

Prosecutors rested their case against Walker last week. His attorney didn’t call any witnesses and Walker didn’t testify.

Walker, the sole defendant to go to trial in the case, faces …

Read more »

A woman charged in the 2008 death of a 3-year-old Lakewood girl has returned to Pierce County to face trial.

Leanne Bechtel had been in custody in Oregon. She was booked into Pierce County Jail on second-degree murder charges Monday afternoon, according to the online jail roster.

She’s expected to make her first court appearance this afternoon.

Prosecutors filed charges against Bechtel last week in Autumn Franks’ death.

UPDATE: A not guilty plea was entered on Fisher’s behalf today. She was ordered jailed in lieu of $1 million bail.

PREVIOUS POST: Lakewood police have arrested a woman suspected of setting up a robbery that turned deadly earlier this year.

Kisha L. Fisher, 36, was booked into Pierce County Jail about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday, according to the online jail roster.  A warrant was issued for her arrest last week after prosecutors charged her with first-degree murder in the death of Lenard Masten.

Fisher is expected to make her first court appearance on the murder charge later today.

Masten, 39, …

Read more »

Puyallup police have arrested a man wanted in connection with the stabbing death of his longtime roommate Thursday.

The 55-year-old man was being held in the Puyallup jail on suspicion of murder and will be transferred to the Pierce County Jail later today, Puyallup police Capt. Dave McDonald said this morning.

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office has not released the name of the victim, also 55, because his family has not been notified of his death. The office also planned to conduct an autopsy today.

Puyallup police found the man’s body on the back deck of his third-floor …

Read more »

Tacoma police have arrested the mother of a 12-year-old girl who died last month after she overdosed on her mother’s methadone.

Pierce County prosecutors charged Jane Elizabeth Griffith, 47, today with one count of controlled substance homicide. She is scheduled to make her first court appearance this afternoon.

Prosecutors allege Griffith, a recovering heroin addict, gave her daughter some of her methadone because Jessica J. Griffith was in pain after injuring her knee.

Jessica J. Griffith – who also was known as Jessica J. Wood – and her mother had been staying temporarily with relatives in the 4800 block of …

Read more »

Pierce County prosecutors are charging three more men today in connection with a February drive-by shooting that killed 20-year-old Camille Love on Tacoma’s East Side.

Prosecutors have charged Dean Tagiilima Salavea, 23, and Time Time, 25, with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Pleas of not guilty were entered on their behalf during their arraignments this afternoon.

Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Patrick Oishi ordered each man held in jail in lieu of $2 million.

A third man, 19-year-old Saul A. Mex, also is being charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit …

Read more »

Tacoma police have arrested a third man in connection with a deadly driveby shooting earlier this year on the city’s East Side.

Officers booked the 25-year-old man into Pierce County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree assault in the shooting that left Camille Love dead and her younger brother injured and on unrelated warrants. He was booked about 12:45 a.m., which means he likely won’t be in court today.

What role the man might have played in the driveby shooting Feb. 7 was not immediately known.

Tacoma police detectives had been looking for the man in connection …

Read more »

The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the 60-year-old Tenino woman who was killed during an argument with her tenant earlier this week.

Janice Gallaher died in the attack.

Pierce County prosecutors charged Ivan Lee Pinto, 32, with first-degree murder on Thursday, alleging he beat Gallaher with a barbell, then ran over her with a van in the Roy area.

Pinto pleaded not guilty and was ordered held in Pierce County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail during a court appearance Thursday afternoon.

Pinto was arrested early Wednesday after he called 911 to report someone had attacked …

Read more »