PORT TOWNSEND — Blake Robert Fox will face trial on the charge of the second-degree murder of a Quilcene man on Jan. 31.
Fox, 37, of Port Townsend, pleaded not guilty Friday to the charge of second-degree murder — armed with a firearm in the death of Quilcene resident Robin Richards, 62.
He is accused of shooting and killing Richards shortly after midnight early morning on Nov. 27.
Fox’s trial was scheduled by Jefferson County Superior Court Judge Keith Harper for Jan. 31 to Feb. 3.
Second-degree murder is a Class B felony punishable by up to life in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.
Harper cut Fox’s bail to $500,000. Fox remained in the Jefferson County jail on Saturday.
Fox’s attorney Scott Charlton, of the Jefferson Associated Counsel, had asked for bail to be cut to $75,000 from the $750,000 bail initially set.
“Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars is tantamount to no bail to a person who ran out of gas and turned himself in,” Charlton said. “He’s not getting out of jail on any amount.”
Prosecuting Attorney James Kennedy disagreed. He said that the nature of the alleged murder would qualify for no bail, that no motive for the murder has been made clear yet and that Fox has a history of drug use. Kennedy also said that hundreds of rounds of live ammunition and additional guns were found at his residence after law enforcement obtained a search warrant.
The probable cause statement written by Detective Art Frank of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said that interviews with Fox’s parents showed that Fox has had a “long history of drug use and paranoia.”
Harper agreed with Kennedy that there doesn’t appear to be a reason behind the alleged murder and acknowledged Fox’s history of drug abuse and mental health issues.
“It would appear that this was basically a random act,” Harper said.
Early Nov. 27, Deputies were called to the Quilcene residence after a woman said that she and Fox were visiting Richards, arriving at about 9:30 p.m. the night before, the report said.
The woman told Frank that Fox left the house and came back smoking a cigarette. She saw Fox open the door and stand in the foyer before hearing “two or three” gunshots, followed by Richards saying “he killed me,” the report said.
Deputies and paramedics arrived at the scene by about 12:14 a.m. Saturday and attempted to treat Richards before he died, according to the report.
Later investigations showed that at least three gunshots were fired, according to Frank’s report.
More information regarding the Nov. 27 incident https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/crime/man-charged-with-second-degree-murder/.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.