PORT TOWNSEND — Michael J. Pierce will be arraigned in Jefferson County Superior Court on Friday on 11 felony charges, including the murders of Patrick and Janice Kay Yarr of Quilcene.
Pierce, a 34-year-old Quilcene man, has been charged with the deaths of the Yarrs and the burning of their home at 780 Boulton Farm Road in Quilcene on March 18.
In addition to the two murder charges and a charge of arson, Pierce also is charged with two counts of robbery, one count of burglary, two counts of theft of a firearm, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and one count of identity theft.
Live video feed
His appearance will be by video feed from the Jefferson County jail at 8:30 a.m.
Investigators say they have no recent developments to report on the case.
“Nothing new as of yet,” said Jefferson County Sheriff Tony Hernandez on Wednesday.
“We are continuing to execute search warrants and follow up on leads.”
Working with FBI
Hernandez said his department is working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on the case.
Pierce was arrested on March 23 after he was identified by investigators from a surveillance camera at an automated teller machine at a Quilcene bank.
The camera allegedly recorded him using the Yarrs’ debit card minutes after the blaze began.
Pierce told investigators that he did not shoot the Yarrs or start the fire that night.
According to charging documents, Pierce claims another person — whom he is refusing to name without a plea deal — entered the Yarrs’ home that night, shot them and started the fire.
No second arrest
Hernandez said no second individual has been arrested.
Pierce was transferred by ambulance from the jail to a hospital last Thursday.
The sheriff declined to say why Pierce was hospitalized, citing privacy requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.
Memorial service
The Yarrs’ memorial service over the weekend drew a crowd of 700 people to pay their respects.
The bodies of the Yarrs were discovered the day after the blaze that consumed their home.
Investigators later announced that an autopsy found the Yarrs had not died as a result of the fire and that the fire was intentionally stated.
The King County Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to determine the cause of death.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
