Weston G. Miller stands next to his attorney in Lewis County Superior Court.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The murder trial of Weston G. Miller continues this morning in a Chehalis courtroom, with a videotape of Miller’s interview with police expected.
Miller, 30, is charged in the March 2012 shooting death of 43-year-old David Wayne Carson who had been staying at his house on B Street in Centralia.
Centralia defense attorney J.P. Enbody has told jurors there’s no doubt his client shot Carson, but contends it was because Carson came at Miller with a knife.
Only one other person was present, Carson’s 46-year-old girlfriend Sara DeSalvo who spent more than two hours on the witness stand, and was repeatedly asked by the judge to focus.
“Again, listen to the question and answer the question that’s asked,” Lewis County Superior Court Judge Richard Brosey said numerous times.
DeSalvo, at times distraught and at times seemingly irritated by questioning, apologized, saying she knows she talks fast.
Yesterday, jurors heard the pathologist who conducted the autopsy describe a grazing bullet wound on Carson’s left forearm as a probable defensive wound.
Miller was charged last year with first-degree murder in the death. Prosecutors have not offered a motive, but the case got off to a slow start because of questions whether Miller was competent to stand trial.
Police called the afternoon of March 13 to Miller’s house on B Street found Carson dead inside with two bullet wounds in his chest and chased down Miller who had left in a pickup truck. Officers were told Carson and DeSalvo had been arguing and Miller told them to stop.
Jurors have heard that Carson and DeSalvo were off and on homeless after Carson lost his job. After they were kicked out of one Centralia home, DeSalvo asked Miller if they could stay a short time, in exchange for her doing some much needed major house cleaning.
DeSalvo, on Tuesday afternoon and yesterday morning told the court about the week prior and the day of the shooting.
She described Carson, the love of her life, as amiable.
“He never had any disagreements with anybody, he was very soft-spoken and quiet,” DeSalvo said.
She spoke of Miller wanting to be friends with Carson and hanging out smoking pot together.
Under questioning, it became apparent Miller grew weary of his house guest’s arguing.
On the last day, Carson and DeSalvo were in the bedroom and Miller repeatedly knocked on the door and told them to stop fighting.
Weston was being a jerk for no reason, she said.
He knocked on the door one last time, according to DeSalvo.
“He said, ‘hey man, can I talk to you for a minute’,” DeSalvo testified.
Carson kissed her, handed her his pot pipe and opened the bedroom door, she testified.
“As soon as it closed, as soon as I heard it click, I heard pop, pop, pop,” DeSalvo said.
Lewis County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Brad Meagher has told jurors no knife was found in Carson’s hand. Enbody has pointed out three knives found in the guest bedroom where Carson stumbled onto his back and lay dead.
Today, jurors are expected to hear testimony from neighbors who rushed in to the house to see if they could help Carson.
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For background, read “B Street homicide: Defendant says self defense” from Wednesday March 14, 2012, here
Sara DeSalvo sobs on the witness stand.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
wow really ive know DAVID CARSON for 38 years not one time have i ever been scared of david !! and we all know david wasnt a soft spoken guy but that doesnt mean weston had a right to kill my friend !!! if weston would of been any kind of man he would of tried fighting david fist to fist not gun to empty handed david wasnt A BIG GUY !!!!!!!!! and those who really knew david wasnt scared of him at all !! your all dumb!!! and weston is a COWARD !!!!!!!!!but now he can sit is cowardly ass in prison !! he dont have a gun there WHATS HE GONNA DO ?????HOPE WESTON MILLER ROTS IN HIS OWN HELL
I’ve known Carson for 20 plus years. He was one pyscho who I always thought would get whacked. I’m just surprised it took this long. He tried to intimidated anyone who didn’t buy in to his stupidness. Maybe Miller should get a medal instead of going on trial.
@Amazed
you have not a clue what you are talking about. yes david dose have a big rap sheet . but the ages you are talking about are wrong. david paid the price for what he did. he went to prisson for a long time he didnt get out untill i think 21. no he didnt have the right to take a mans life. but you have to understand this man molested him and the gun was right there. david went to juvenile and then to prisson happen when he was like 15 or 16. david has done things that he was not proud of but that gives weston no right to take his life and lie about why. and how it happen. this guy cant even take the stand to say what happen him self. i know in my heart that weston had plenty of time to think about what he did he went to the bedroom where the two where talking 2 times and on the 3 he loaded his gun and shot my brother so now he needs to pay the price for taking a mans life just like david did!!!!!!!!
I wasn’t there, I don’t know what happened. What I do know is what was reported by Sharyn Decker perviously. https://lewiscountysirens.com/?p=11533
Defense attorney Bob Schroeter had argued for much lower bail for Miller.
He pointed out the victim has a “rap sheet” that runs eight pages and an outstanding warrant for criminal trespass.
Also, a statement from the victims brother: he hitched a ride on a train to California and his life took a turn for the worse, according to his brother. A bum on the train molested him, there was a gun and David Carson shot and killed the man, his brother said. He spent five years in juvenile detention in California, he said.
Dan Carson recalls his brother got out when he was 16.
So, at age 11(?) he hitched a ride on a train & KILLED a man. I’m not saying maybe it wasn’t justified…but he obviously didn’t learn much in Juvi if after he got out his ‘Rap sheet” continued.
Anyone who knew Carson will call bullshit of him being softspoken and quiet. He was a loud mouth dick and always starting a fight. With that being said he did not deserve to get whacked.
He looks so terrified in that pic! Let the prison sex begin!