KING COUNTY, Wash. — The Fall City teenager accused of killing his five family members and hurting another is back in King County Court Tuesday.
The decline hearing is expected to determine if he’s tried as a juvenile or adult.
When it comes to sentencing for a murder trial, being tried as over or under 18 years old makes a huge difference in the length of the sentence. If found guilty, the suspect could be out of jail less than ten years after the murders happened.
In October 2024, King County prosecutors say the then-15-year-old teenager shot and killed his three siblings and parents and shot and hurt his 11-year-old sister at their home in Fall City.
KIRO 7 is not naming the suspect because of his age.
Police say his sister was shot in the neck, but she played dead until he left the room and then went to a neighbor’s house for help.
At the time of the murders, police say the suspect was two weeks away from his 16th birthday.
Because of that, the question of if he should be tried as a juvenile or adult has been up in the air.
If he was 16 at the time of the murders, he would be automatically tried as an adult, instead there is debate on how he should be tried.
The main difference between the two options is the length of the sentence.
After two years of being pushed back, the hearing this week will determine how he will be tried. The prosecutors, defense attorneys, and judge have been trying to decide this since day one.
If tried as a minor and found guilty, he will be in prison until he’s 25, then released.
That would put him in custody for less than ten years since the murders happened.
If tried and found guilty as an adult, he could receive a minimum of 25 years then a possibility of release.
The judge could also choose any mix of those sentencing options because the suspect has no prior convictions.
The judge will take eight factors into consideration, including the seriousness of the crime, the likelihood of rehabilitation, and any prior offenses (which he doesn’t have).
We have a team on this case following it through court every step of the way and will bring you the updates straight from the courtroom.
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