By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – John Allen Booth Jr. is back.
The convicted triple-murderer who once called Onalaska home was sent to prison for life in December 2011, but was booked into the Lewis County Jail this morning.
John Allen Booth Jr.
Booth, now 33, filed a post-trial motion which will be heard by a Lewis County Superior Court judge.
Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher said it isn’t related to the evidence that turned up in the coroner’s office several weeks after the conviction.
Meagher called it a “collateral attack”.
Booth was convicted in the shooting deaths of David West Sr., 52, David “D.J.” West Jr., 16, and 50-year-old Tony Williams of Randle. The three, along with Denise Salts who survived a gunshot, were found in the home Salts and the Wests shared on Wings Way in the Onalaska-Salkum area on August 21, 2010.
Last year about this time, Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod said finger nail clippings and hair trimmings from all three victims were found in a sealed bag in the work locker of a former deputy coroner. The materials had no “chain of custody” documentation, nor did they get into the hands of law enforcement or attorneys in the case.
Both Booth’s attorney and Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said it was a potential appeal issue for Booth.
Booth is scheduled to go before Judge Richard Brosey at 2:30 p.m. on Monday to set a date for the motion hearing.
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For background, read “Report: Triple murderer surprisingly charming and well-mannered” from Monday December 19, 2011, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
the only reason you stupid people are nervous is because you know the courts really fucked up when they convicted Booth… you probably helped with false statements…. which is understandable from a bunch of inbred tweekers that come from lewis county…
WELL U KNOW WHAT IVE KNOWN JOHN FOR 17 YEARS AND I TRUST HIM AROUND MY CHILDREN AND EVERYBODY IS JUST TALKIN SHIT BOUT HIM CUZ OF WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD BOUT THESE ALELGATIONS OF MURDER!!!!! U KNOW WHAT HE WILL GET OUT CUZ HE WAS WIT ME THAT NIGHT SO THINK WHAT U WANT BOUT MY BROTHER JOHN IF U LIKE HIM GREAT IF U DONT THEN FUCK U!!!!!!! FREE BIG SIXX
Too bad that a 16 year old boy had to be murdered by “j.a.b.” to disprove your point…
you all are a bunch of dumb fucks and need to find something else to bitch about.your not in anymore danger than normal,with or without J.A.B.
Do convicted murderers serving life in prison always get to go on field trips to attend post-trial motions? Having Booth back here in Lewis County makes a good number of us rather nervous.
If you look at the record of this guy he has always pled guilty, received a lesser sentence and then appealed and received an even lesser sentence. Our criminal justice system is set up that way. Also for ever appeals case in Lewis County the inmate is allowed to be transported back for the appeal. That means the inmate gets out of prison and gets a free transport (meals included) to the local jail. They have nothing but time on their hands in prison to continually write and file appeals.
FreeAir, I like what you said. Onalaska is such a better place without him. Well put!
Let him rot in he’ll and be anally assaulted hourly
This is just all about John trying to get back in the spotlight. Sorry John, but life as you knew it is long over. That happens when you force a child to his knees in front of his dead father, then murder him. If your reading this John, I just want you to know that it’s a bright beautiful day outside. The frost from last nights fog is dripping off the grass as the air warms up, bringing with it the fresh scent and promise of spring. In the fields just west of Onalaska on 508 you can see the first calves of the year warming themselves on the morning sun, steam rising off of their damp furry backs. Soon as those new calves get warmed up they will be running around the fields with their tails straight up in the air like some comical brown legged go-cart. It’s hard not to laugh out loud watching them run around as they learn to control those long wobbly legs.
Down by Blue Creek the air is starting to smell sweet from the fresh cottonwood buds. There are a lot of smiles down on the Cowlitz at Blue Creek. Spring Chinooks and Steelhead are starting to show with more than a few of those chrome bright slabs stripping off fishing line from buzzing reels. Fathers are netting their kid’s first fish with a quick cell phone picture back to mom and family. The smell of smoking fish over an impromptu barbeque makes your mouth water driving past firewood heated homes. Life here in Onalaska is very good now that your gone. With cool free air being enjoyed by all. You see John, you just don’t matter anymore; Goodbye.
Does this mean he’s going to get off the hook? Can they declare mistrial for this? Once again, Lewis county may be seriously negligent. What the hell is wrong with our systems here? Why is there so many screw ups. GET IT TOGETHER LEWIS COUNTY!!! WHEN ARE WE GOING TO START FIXING THESE BROKEN DOWN STRUCTURES OF IMPORTANCE? How can the citizens of Lewis county feel like there is enough being done to keep us safe? If someone like this ends up back on the street. It’s bad enough without some of the worst criminals being returned without serving adequate time.