Ricky A. Riffe addresses his lawyer as a pre-trial hearing winds down in Lewis County Superior Court.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Ricky A. Riffe made an appearance in court today, the sixth time in six months as attorneys move toward a trial in the 1985 kidnapping and murder of an elderly Ethel couple.
Nothing momentous was on the agenda, but because the case is so voluminous, both sides want to make sure everything is staying on track as they go, according to Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer.
Meyer has said he has 150 witnesses.
Judge Richard Brosey today signed orders documenting some steps that have already been taken or are in progress, including notification of Riffe’s defense: He has an alibi and he didn’t do it.
No details on that were offered verbally during the court session.
Prosecutors contend Riffe, now 54, and his since-deceased brother abducted Ed and Wilhelmina Maurin and forced them to withdraw money from their bank in Chehalis before shooting them and dumping their bodies near Adna back in December 1985. Ed Maurin was 81 and his wife was 83.
The former Lewis County resident was arrested in July at his home in Alaska.
At today’s afternoon hearing in Lewis County Superior Court, at least three long-retired sheriff’s detectives, as well as elected Sheriff Steve Mansfield, were among those in the audience.
In the front row of benches behind prosecutors Meyer and Will Halstead as usual were Wilhelmina Maurin’s grown children and their family.
Riffe, wearing red and white striped jail garb, didn’t speak except to answer the judge’s inquiry as to whether he understood the orders being signed.
He is represented by Seattle-based attorney John Crowley.
Crowley informed the judge he expects to submit a series of motions. Judge Brosey indicated he wants to make sure any pre-trial hearings are scheduled such that they don’t delay commencement of the trial.
Deputy Prosecutor Halstead indicated it is still an unfolding case.
The trial is scheduled to start the week of May 6, a “drop dead” date to begin, according to the judge.
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For background, read “Maurin homicide: Riffe pleads not guilty, his attorney hints at proof” from Thursday August 23, 2012, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Yes, the Riffe brothers were bad news way back then. It was common knowledge around mossyrock that the Riffe brothers killed Eddie and Minnie Maurin. I had even written to Unsolved Mysteries in an attempt to shed further light on the pair.
I’m left with the nagging question of which is worse; the fact that two elderly people were shotgunned for a few dollars or the fact that their killers might have protected all these years by a corrupt Lew County system of law enforcement?
Mr Couch was killed in 1984.You can find the info online.
did the oda couch murder in randle wa. occur before the murin murder or after or was couchs murder solved before murins took place