Janet L. Anderson sits at defense table across from the deputy prosecutor while her attorney waits near Judge Toynbee.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The woman who fatally shot her husband in their north Centralia home late last year will be facing a recommended prison sentence of more than 18 years after pleading guilty today.
Janet L. Anderson, 40, has been held in the Lewis County Jail since she drove to the Centralia Police Department the morning of Dec. 17, said she killed her husband and had left the weapon at the house.
Defense attorney Shane O’Rourke told the court his client has maintained she acted in self defense when her husband pointed a gun at her, but various aspects of the case lent themselves to her accepting a plea deal instead of going to trial.
Anderson pleaded guilty this afternoon in Lewis County Superior Court to second-degree murder and two counts of tampering with physical evidence – her husband’s gun and his body, according to her formal statement.
Prosecutors alleged in charging documents that she attempted to conceal evidence of the crime by washing clothing, bedding, herself and patching a bullet hole in a wall.
Ty W. Anderson’s body was located in the bedroom of the couple’s home off of West Oakview Avenue, wrapped inside of a tarp, with a bullet wound at the base of his skull and another in his lower back, according to authorities. She told police the two had fought for two hours before it happened. Police found two handguns in the room.
In the courtroom today were two rows of apparent family members seated behind Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead. Centralia police detectives observed from the back row.
The standard sentencing range for second-degree murder, in her case because she has no criminal history, is 123 months to 220 months. The other offenses are gross misdemeanors, with up to 364 days in custody.
Judge Andrew Toynbee read aloud her written statement, which included that she intended to cause Ty Anderson’s death by shooting him, and that it occurred on Dec. 16 and Dec. 17.
A next door neighbor said at the time he and his wife heard a noise around 9 or 10 o’clock the night of the 16th that she thought sounded like a gunshot.
O’Rourke said he and Halstead have agreed to recommend Anderson be sentenced to the high end of the standard sentencing range, which comes out to 18 years and four months.
The parties agreed to return to court in two weeks to hold the sentencing hearing.
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For background, read “Guilty plea expected in Centralia man’s homicide, from his widow” from Tuesday September 12, 2017, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
So sad for all concerned.Prayers to the families.
I agree Timothy. If she had simply shot him in self-defense. But wrapping him in a tarp, patching bullet holes, tampering with the gun? Add all of that in and she would have most likely been convicted and received more time.
I agree though domestic violence is something that cannot be tolerated. The bottom line is no one will ever know what really happened in that house that night.
It still shouldn’t be 18 yrs.. Look at all the domestic abuses happening just in the state of Washington . They better start making more room over in Purdy very soon.