PORT TOWNSEND — Michael J. Pierce was found guilty this afternoon of two counts of first-degree murder in the March 18, 2009 shooting deaths of Patrick Yarr, 60, and his wife, Janice Yarr, 57, at their home north of Lake Leland.
After nearly two days of deliberation, the nine-woman, three-man Jefferson County Superior Court jury also found Pierce guilty of arson, robbery, theft of a firearm, illegal possession of a firearm and theft of a credit card related to the brutal murders, in which the Yarrs were shot in the head and a fire was set to cover the crimes.
“This monster’s been taken away from society, and my family won’t have to deal with this anymore,” said the Yarrs’ daughter, Michele Ham of Port Hadlock, after the verdict was read in courtroom packed with more than 50 spectators.
Pierce’s lawyer, Richard Davies of Port Townsend, said he plans to appeal the verdict.
Pierce, a 35-year-old college student who lives in Sequim and Quilcene, did not testify during his two-week trial, largely dominated by expert testimony from witnesses called by county Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Scott Rosekrans.
The jury saw a Quilcene bank ATM video in which a man believed to be Pierce was seen using the Yarrs’ debit card 10 minutes before the fire was called in to authorities. Davies had suggested the jury find Pierce guilty of theft but not murder.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 22 at 2 p.m. before Superior Court Judge Craddock Verser, who presided over the two-week trial.
Rosekrans is seeking a sentence of life in prison.
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Senior staff writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.
