Lewis County Sirens.com

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS – The Winlock man accused of fatally shooting a trailer park neighbor pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to 16 years in prison.

Richard Joseph Frank Roth, 65, was charged in the Nov. 4 death of 64-year-old Jackie Marie Lawyer in the Frost Road Trailer Park.

Prosecutors said in charging documents Roth retrieved a handgun from his property and confronted Lawyer near the trailer park mailboxes after an argument between the two about him “snitching” on her for her dumping wood stove ashes in the woods. Lawyer died from a gunshot wound to her chin and neck.

Roth was arrested that day and charged with first-degree murder. His trial had been scheduled for June.

Today, in front to Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt, Roth pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, which included a firearm enhancement that adds a mandatory five years to his sentence, according to Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer.

The reason for the plea agreement: “Given his age, he will not, probably not live to be released,” Meyer said.

Roth was represented by court-appointed attorney Mike Underwood.
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Read background on the November shooting here

Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 12th, 2011 at 4:25 pm and is filed under News briefs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.