Janet L. Anderson, in red, is led out of the courtroom and back down to the Lewis County Jail after bail hearing.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Evidence so far suggests a 41-year-old Centralia man was shot once in his back and once at the base of his skull as long as 12 hours before his wife turned herself in to police and said they would find his body in the bedroom of their north Centralia home.
Ty W. Anderson was indeed located there, wrapped inside a tarp, according to authorities.
The residence off of West Oakview Avenue in the Hunter’s Walk neighborhood was then examined by detectives on Saturday but the scene investigation is ongoing, according to the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office.
Janet L. Anderson, 39, was arrested after she spoke with police on Saturday morning and charged today with second-degree murder.
She reportedly told police that after two hours of fighting, she shot her husband because he grabbed his gun and was pointing it at her, according to charging documents.
She also said she cleaned him up, covered him up and wrapped him up so he wouldn’t be cold, Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead wrote in court documents.
Evidence indicates she washed clothing and bedding and bathed herself as well as patched what looked to be a bullet exit hole through an exterior wall, before driving to the Centralia police station and calling 911 about 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, according to Halstead.
Anderson was brought before a judge this afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court in Chehalis where prosecutors asked she be held on $1 million bail.
She has no income of her own, doesn’t work and has no criminal history, the judge was told. Judge Richard Brosey gave her a court appointed lawyer.
Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Sara Beigh said she requested the high bail because Anderson might be a flight risk and also because of the interference with the administration of justice. It appears cleanup was done during the 12 hours between the alleged homicide and the reporting of it, she said.
Neither Centralia police nor the court documents offer any other explanation for the shooting.
Neighbors and police say the couple have two children who lived with them there, a teenage son who was at a sporting event on Saturday morning and a younger daughter who was with her grandparents. Centralia police detective John Panco on Saturday didn’t indicate he thought the kids had been home when it happened.
Next door neighbor Jim Murphy said he and his wife heard a “horrible bang pop” around 9 or 10 o’clock on Friday night; she thought it was a gunshot, he thought it was something different.
Charging documents state that police were advised about 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, a woman was on the line with 911, saying she’d killed her husband, that she would be parked in front of the Centralia Police Department in a white mini van.
She spoke with a sergeant and told him, among other things, that her gun was on her night stand and her husband’s gun could be found under a towel because she was afraid her son might come home and see it.
Two officers who were given the keys to the home found nobody else inside, only Ty Anderson wrapped in a tarp in the bedroom, according to the documents.
When detectives conducted their investigation, they found what would be the wife’s firearm, a five-shot revolver with four spent shell casings and one live round inside the cylinder, Halstead wrote.
The other gun was on the floor, on the other side of the bed, partially wrapped in a towel, according to Halstead. The semi automatic, single-action pistol had a loaded magazine inserted and an empty chamber; the hammer was in the forward position not ready to fire, according to Halstead.
An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow.
The initial examination of the body however showed at least two bullet entry wounds, according to charging documents, one in the lower back and the other at the base of the back of the neck. X-rays taken by the Lewis County Corner’s Office show what appear to be the two bullets lodged inside his body, according to charging documents.
The maximum penalty for second-degree murder is life in prison and/or a $50,000 fine plus restitution and assessments.
Centralia defense attorney Shane O’Rourke is going to be representing Anderson. Her arraignment is set for Thursday afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court.
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For background, read “Saturday December 17, 2016” from Centralia: Man dead, woman jailed for murder, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
She had 3 kids by the way…. And nobody will ever know the full story of what happened that night only she will and she will have to take it to her grave.
Sending prayers to the family – especially the kids. very tragic.
“I’m not god” so you won’t judge her???? We are NOT judging her soul….SMH , please understand what “judging” is before you say this. Should the jury not “judge” her ???? SMDH.
People, I know this man personally, and I know the woman being charged. He is a hard working hard loving man who means no harm to anybody. He stayed with his wife despite repeated allegations of unfaithfulness and verbal abuse from her that I witnessed first hand. Keep your stupid puns to yourself, and get your facts straight, he was murdered in cold blood for “lying”. No more ridiculous speculation, and no more making light of this situation, his two children now get to spend Christmas mourning the loss of their father, dicks.
I agree with Wyatt and Jeanette. There are way too many variables. I can’t imagine what she is going through. Or the children.
Maybe he turned to reach for the gun but had trouble getting ahold of it and she shot him. Location of the bullet entry really doesn’t determine if it was self defense or not.
I can not judge this woman because I wasn’t in her shoes at the time she shot her husband. And because I am not God. I am thankful the children weren’t at home. I do pray they can forgive their mother for what happened.
She shot him in the back and the base of his skull. Hard to make any kind of self defense out of that. Also, she claims she shot him because he was pointing a gun at her. Really? and then she shot him in the back? That shot to the base of the skull sounds like just plain first degree murder. Is this trial going to be a circus like Jodi Arias?
Four spent casings in the revolver. I wonder where the other two bullets went? Powder burns and other analysis of that shot to the base of the skull will be interesting.
“Jumping the gun” no pun intended?…. sorry I had to.
This is what happens when you mis treat and traumatize a person over and over again. Let this be a wake up call to all of those wife beaters out there. Don’t mess with a woman with a Gun they will kill you and never think of the consequences during the heat if an argument. Some learn this lesson only once. Again treat you’re loved ones with respect and you too can avoid a scorned woman’s wrath.
We still don’t the details Bleebloo. You are always quick to jump to conclusions. You have done so to me on multiple occasions even in articles about me you knew nothing about. You know nothing about this neither does anyone else including me. But here you go jumping the gun as always.
She shot him while he was turned away from her, that tells me everything I need to know.
Really, Bo Freaking Rupert the voice of reason?
Very interesting. I still say lets wait to rush to judgement. There is no telling what led up to this. It is way too early in the investigation and proceedings. We still don’t have all the details. Please wait to judge this this woman and respect her right to be presumed innocent until a jury of her peers finds her guilty. This is truly tragic. Her children may also see these things we post. Remember they don’t need to read horrible things about their mom. I can not plead this enough. Wait to rush to judgement until we know more.