By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Prosecutors tomorrow intend to upgrade charges against John Allen Booth Jr. to aggravated first-degree murder for two of the victims who were slain in August in an Onalaska-Salkum area home, elected Lewis County Prosecutor Michael Golden said yesterday.
If convicted of the higher charges, the only two possible penalties are life in prison without the possibility of parole or death.
John Allen Booth Jr.
The 31-year-old Onalaska man is accused of murder and extortion in connection with the deaths of David J. West Sr. 52, his son David J. West Jr., 16, and Tony E. Williams, 50, of Randle. He is also charged with attempted murder of 51-year-old Denise Salts. All four were found shot in the head early on Aug. 21 inside the West’s home off Gore Road. The sheriff has said he believes the shootings were related to a drug debt collection.
Booth has pleaded not guilty and remains held in the Lewis County Jail.
Golden said yesterday the ongoing investigation found three aggravating factors which warrant the increased charges: multiple homicides during the same crime, killing with a monetary motive and killing of witnesses to conceal crime.
“A problem, a significant problem in Lewis County and elsewhere is tampering with witnesses and intimidating witnesses,” Golden said. “And murdering witnesses is one of the worst things a person can do.”
The increased charges will be for the 16-year-old boy and Williams who was visiting the home that night.
Golden said he’s not aware of aggravated murder being charged in Lewis County, at least looking back to 1981.
He expects Booth will be arraigned tomorrow on the new charges, triggering a 30-day deadline for Golden to decide if he intends to seek the death penalty.
“Once the decision was made to go for aggravated first-degree murder, clearly the death penalty is on the table,” Golden said.
Booth’s lawyer is already anticipating that possibility.
Ryan J. McCarthy
Olympia defense attorney James Dixon plans to ask the judge tomorrow to appoint death penalty case qualified counsel to assist him in Booth’s case.
Golden said no decision has been made whether to increase the charges of Ryan J. McCarthy, the 28-year-old Redmond man and former cell mate of Booth’s who is also accused of murder in the August slayings.
•••
Read the details of what prosecutor’s allege happened in the house that night:
• “West Sr. pointed shotgun telling pair of ex-cons to leave his house, triggering triple homicide, unsealed court documents allege” from Saturday Sept. 4, 2010 here
• “Unsealed document: More details on Salkum slayings” from Monday Sept. 6, 2010 here
• “Two men plead not guilty to Salkum-Onalaska area shootings” from Friday Sept. 10, 2010 here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter