PIERCE CO., Wash. — There was an audible gasp as Jonathan Harris walked into a packed courtroom wearing a suicide prevention smock to face charges in the murder of Nicole White. Harris, 29, pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.
“He’s a monster,” said Amy Ancira, a family friend of White's.
White disappeared after she was seen on a date with Harris at a Spanaway bar June 6. The two met through an online dating service.
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Investigators said the body of the 28-year-old mother of two was found two weeks later, severely decomposed, wrapped in a tarp down a ravine in a heavily wooded area near Lake Kapowsin.
An autopsy showed she had multiple fractures in her skull and ribs. Friends say the 4-foot-11-inch woman stood no chance against the towering 6-foot-7-inch Harris.
Friends of White gathered outside the courthouse after the appearance, angry that Harris is only facing a charge of second-degree murder.
Prosecutors said because White's body was so decomposed there isn't enough evidence to file first-degree murder charges, though that could change as the investigation progresses.
“I’m hoping prosecutors are really going to look into this. And I think an eye for an eye,” Ancira said.
Harris’ bail was set at $2 million. According to court documents, he has denied having anything to do with White’s murder.
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