GUILTY WA - Ben Eastman, 16, raped and murdered, Lewis County, 23 Jun 2018

[Niner]

Thanks a bunch Kavya01! Much appreciated!

 

[Niner]

Monday, June 17th:
*Suppression Hearing (@ 1pm PT) – WA – Benjamin Eastman III (16) (June 23, 2018, Randle; found June 28, 2018) – only for *Jonathon Robert Adamson (21) arrested (6/30/18), charged (7/2/18) & arraigned (7/11/18) with a total of 10 counts- 1st degree aggravated murder, 1st degree aggravated assault, 1st degree kidnapping, 1st degree rape, 1st degree rendering criminal assistance, unlawful disposal of remains, 2 counts of tampering with physical evidence & 2 counts of tampering with a witness. Plead not guilty to all charges. $10M bond.
Trial to start 8/5/19.
3/7/19 Arraignment on new charges of 1st degree aggravated murder. Plead not guilty to new charges. Next Suppression hearing on 6/17. Trial confirmation hearing on 8/1. Trial starts 8/5/19.
*Benito “Benny” S. Marquez – Plead guilty & agreed to a sentence of 413 months (just over 34 years) in prison. Review hearing on 6/6 was continued with no date as of 6/17.
*Kindra Rose Adamson - Plead guilty. Faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. Review hearing stricken on 5/2/19.
*Emma L. Brown – Plead guilty. Recommended sentence from DA will be credit for time served. Review hearing stipulated on 5/2/19.

 

[Seattle1]

Fiancé of Randle Murder Suspect Pleads Guilty

Emma Brown, the Glenoma woman accused of misleading authorities when they were investigating the disappearance of slain Randle teen Benjamin Eastman III, pleaded guilty Monday morning to two counts of first-degree rendering criminal assistance.

Brown’s plea came just on the heels of Benito Marquez, 17, pleading guilty on Friday to first-degree murder and other charges in Eastman’s death.

Brown, 21, is listed in court documents as the fiancé of murder suspect Jonathon Adamson. Adamson, along with Marquez, his brother, is charged in Eastman’s June beating death.

Brown was accused of withholding information on Eastman’s whereabouts when deputies still believed he was a missing person, though she was already aware of the homicide.

Represented in court by attorney Jakob McGhie, Brown’s plea was entered as an Alford plea, meaning, McGhie said to Judge James Lawler, she doesn’t necessarily agree with the charges against her, however if the evidence is presented to a jury, she acknowledges they will likely find her guilty.

According to a letter sent to McGhie by Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer, if Brown is to plead guilty to both counts against her and follow a list of other orders, the charges will be downgraded later. One of the counts will be changed to a non-felony count of rendering criminal assistance and the other to making a false statement. The recommended sentence from the prosecutor’s office will be credit for time served.

Among the list of things Brown must complete to comply with the plea agreement is making a recorded statement to law enforcement, passing a polygraph test and serving as a state witness in any other case connected to hers. Currently, the only other person attached to Brown’s case that hasn’t pleaded guilty is Adamson. Adamson was slated to plead guilty the morning of Feb. 22. However, he indicated to his attorney, Don Blair, that he didn’t want to follow through with the plea. The hearing was stricken. He’s currently set to go to trial the week of Aug. 5.

[...]

Brown waived her right to a speedy sentencing, meaning she doesn’t have to be sentenced within 40 days of her plea. She has a review hearing on March 28.

 

[Seattle1]

Case Information

18-1-00532-21 | STATE OF WASHINGTON
vs EMMA LUCINDA BROWN


Case Number
18-1-00532-21

Court
Lewis

File Date
07/11/2018

Case Type
ADL Criminal Adult

Case Status
Return from Warrant
[.........]

• 05/02/2019 Review Hearing
  
  Judicial Officer
  Lawler, James W
  
  Hearing Time
  03:00 PM
  
  Cancel Reason
  Stipulated
  
  
• 05/23/2019 Certificate of Mailing
  ****************************************

ETA: I don't think we'll see any updates on Emma until after Aug trial of JA (and confirmation she upholds her end of the bargain)... Relative to her sentence for time served, she bonded out immediately so she never served any time!

 

[Seattle1]

Case Information

18-1-00497-21 | STATE OF WASHINGTON
vs JONATHON ROBERT ADAMSON


Case Number
18-1-00497-21

Court
Lewis

File Date
07/02/2018

Case Type
ADL Criminal Adult

Case Status
Active

• 06/17/2019 3.5 Suppression Hearing
  
  Judicial Officer
  Lawler, James W
  
  Hearing Time
  01:00 PM
  
  Result
  Held
  
  Comment
  3.5 and Scheduling Conference
  
  
• 06/17/2019 Evidentiary Hearing
  
  
• 06/17/2019 Exhibit List
  
  
• 06/17/2019 Order Sealing Document
  
  Judicial Officer
  Lawler, James W
  
  Comment
  Items Marked and/or Admitted at 3.5 Hearing
  
  
• 08/01/2019 Trial Confirmation
  
  Judicial Officer
  Toynbee, J. Andrew
  
  Hearing Time
  8:40 AM
  
  
• 08/05/2019 Jury Trial
  
  Hearing Time
  9:30 AM

 

[Seattle1]

Case Information

18-1-00498-21 | STATE OF WASHINGTON
vs BENITO S MARQUEZ

Case Number
18-1-00498-21

Court
Lewis

File Date
07/02/2018

Case Type
ADL Criminal Adult

Case Status
Active

• 06/14/2019 Motion

Comment
for Defense Expert at Public Expense

• 06/14/2019 Order Authorizing
  
  Judicial Officer
  Lawler, James W
  
  Comment
  Defense Expert at Public Expense
  
  
• 06/14/2019 Motion
  
  Comment
  for Authorization of Investigative Services
  
  
• 06/14/2019 Order Authorizing Payment
  
  Judicial Officer
  Lawler, James W
  
  Comment
  for Defense Expert at Public Expense
  
  
• 06/14/2019 Motion
  
  Comment
  for Payment of Investigator Fees
  
  
• 06/14/2019 Order Authorizing Payment
  
  Judicial Officer
  Lawler, James W
  
  Comment
  of Fees
  

 

[Niner]

Re Benito's motion for expert at public expense....

?? He pled guilty - what is there to investigate?

I take it he was not sentenced on 6/14? And probably won't be until he testifies at Adamson's trial.

 

[Niner]

Unfortunately I can't access this article:

Statements by Randle Murder Suspect Admissible in Trial

was the suppression granted or denied? TIA!


edited to add - dang I should have read the headline! LOL! WILL be used in trial - good!

 

[Seattle1]

June 17, 2019

Statements made to detectives by Jonathan Adamson, facing an August trial for charges including first-degree murder in the death of Randle teen Benjamin Eastman III, will be admissible in an upcoming jury trial, a Superior Court Judge ruled Monday.

Adamson and a trio of Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detectives testified in Lewis County Superior Court Monday afternoon as part of a hearing on the evidence. The content of the interviews were largely left vague during the hearing with one exception — when a detective detailed a conversation in which Adamson claimed, and then recanted, that he was coerced into admitting to the homicide by an individual who threatened his life and the lives of his family.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said such a hearing was routine in determining whether statements made by defendants to law enforcement officers will be admissible as evidence in court, with much of Monday’s hearing revolving around whether Adamson had been properly advised of his rights, including the right to be silent or to have an attorney, prior to interviews.

[...]

The final interview discussed during the hearing was also between Engelbertson and Adamson. It occurred July 1 after Engelbertson was contacted by someone at the jail, saying Adamson wanted to talk with him urgently.

Engelbertson said he immediately read Adamson his rights and then said Adamson informed him, without a recorder running, that there was a person threatening himself and his family. This person demanded he confess to killing Eastman, Engelbertson reported.

Engelbertson said he believed the story was untrue. After talking with Adamson more about it, Adamson got “teary-eyed” and then said he made the story up. Engelbertson began to record the interview, starting out with reading his Miranda rights again. At that point, Adamson said he wanted to talk with an attorney. Engelbertson said that was the first time in his interactions with Adamson he ever requested an attorney.

[...]

Blair, during a final argument, said in two of the recorded interviews, there was no indication Adamson was informed his interviews were being recorded. He asked that those conversations not be allowed during trial.

Statements by Randle Murder Suspect Admissible in Trial

 

[Seattle1]

Re Benito's motion for expert at public expense....

?? He pled guilty - what is there to investigate?

I take it he was not sentenced on 6/14? And probably won't be until he testifies at Adamson's trial.

I didn't understand that request either!!

Perhaps it has to do with Benito's testimony against his brother -- and they need to independently shore up his account?? Maybe DA doesn't trust Benito....

MOO

 

[Niner]

Thanks for the details of the article Seattle1!

 

[Niner]

another article I can not access -

Second suspect pleads guilty in killing of Randle teen

Is it Adamson that plead guilty? Or this an old article about Benito?

TIA!

 

[MsFacetious]

HOLY CRAP!



Jonathon Adamson, one of two suspects charged with first-degree rape and murder in the June 2018 slaying of 16-year-old Benjamin Eastman III, pleaded guilty to five charges Wednesday in Lewis County Superior Court.

Adamson, 21, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping in the Eastman's horrid beating death. He also pleaded guilty to two counts of witness tampering dating to February.

Adamson’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled. A review hearing is set for July 25.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said Adamson will need to complete other terms of his plea agreement before that time, including providing a full and accurate account of Eastman’s death.

The plea agreement recommends that Adamson be sentenced to 42 years to life in prison.


Second suspect pleads guilty in killing of Randle teen

 

[Seattle1]

SENTENCE: Plea Agreement Details Sentence of 510 Months to Life in Prison

Adamson, 21, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder, first-degree rape and second-degree kidnapping in Eastman’s death, and pleaded guilty to an additional two counts of witness tampering dating to Feb. 2019.

Adamson’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled. A review hearing is set for July 25.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said Adamson will need to complete other terms of his plea agreement before that time, including providing a full and accurate account of Eastman’s death.

The plea agreement includes an agreed-upon sentence for Adamson of 510 months, or 42 and a half years, to life in prison.

Adamson’s brother Benito Marquez, 17, pleaded guilty on Feb. 22 to charges including first-degree murder and first-degree rape. He has not yet been sentenced. His plea agreement will allow him to withdraw his guilty pleas to all but the first-degree murder charge and be sentenced on that charge alone if he meets conditions set by the prosecutor’s office, including providing a statement and passing a polygraph test.

Second Suspect Pleads Guilty in Killing of Randle Teen

 

[Seattle1]

Both brothers took plea deals for their sentences -- Jonathon 510 months, and Benito 413 months for murdering their friend Ben.

While both brothers have agreed to the proposed sentencing numbers, Superior Court judges are not bound by those recommendations and can impose up to the maximum lawful sentence if they choose.

Based on a WA law applicable to minors -- even though charged as an adult, Benito will not have to do a life sentence, and he will be eligible for parole.

I hope there will be an outpouring appeal to the judge to ignore any leniency for Jonathon. Not only did he brutally murder and rape Ben, he involved hiS girlfriend, his mom, and tried to involve others while he was incarcerated. I don't think he deserves to have any thought he will ever be paroled while he's sitting in his cage.

#I STAND WITH BEN

 

[kaen]

I am so relieved for Ben's family as they will not have to sit in a courtroom and relive Ben's death with each witness and photo. The monsters in this case did the right thing to plead guilty. It was so apparent they were and a trial was really going to be a formality with the evidence/statements that had been amassed against them. Peace to Ben's family. I don't think anyone will ever fully understand why these monsters did this.

 

[Seattle1]

2002-2018
Tiny Washington town holds memorial held for teen homicide victim
7/9/18

RANDLE, Wash. - Hundreds of people filled the White Pass Jr. Sr. High School gym. The Timberwolves' bleachers held community members and a makeshift center section of folding chairs held the family members of Ben Eastman III.

Randle is a town of less than 3,000 people in east Lewis County. The combined junior and senior high school has less than 250 students and Eastman's sophomore class had only 32 students in it.

The details of Eastman's death - in which two suspects have been charged with murder - would be gruesome no matter where it took place, but in a community as small as this one, no one feels emotionally distant from the tragedy.
Tiny Washington town holds memorial held for teen homicide victim

I heard the School principal (Chris Shumaker) do this radio interview where he again elaborated on Ben Eastman's character saying he really liked sticking up for his friends when caught in shenanigans (that Ben was able to sidestep and not get caught). "Ben tried very hard to plea deal consequences his friends earned," and when not successful would say he too deserved detention. "He was a good kid."

bump in memory of Ben.

 

[Niner]

HOLY CRAP is right MsFaceitous! And here I thought it was an article on Benito again pleading guilty.

Well - I'm really glad to hear this. Now they have all plead guilty. And the family doesn't have to go thru any trials.

Justice for Ben!

 

[mpnola]

We are here, Ben. Their action did nothing but harm everyone, including themselves. Even though your final moments were filled with betrayal, I know you know just how loved and amazing you were. Your case will forever stay with me.

 

[JudgeJoe]

Read thru this thread with silent sadness- never saw the other one that wasn’t merged. The betrayal of this case just stings. I wonder if Ben’s girlfriend will ever speak out on Ben’s behalf, or if she will remain silent through the years in fear of (loyalty to?) her %^#*&^ up family?