The night the “bat came down” for Dr. Rowan

During his jury trial in the fall of 1998, prosecutors contended Bruce Rowan had carefully planned the slaying of wife Deborah — and then staged a car crash to make it look as if she died in a traffic accident so he could collect on her new $500,000 life-insurance policy and travel the world.

But Rowan’s lawyer, David Allen of Seattle, argued that Rowan had suffered a major psychotic episode the night his wife was killed.

“One would have to be crazy, stupid or insane to kill your wife on the day the insurance policy took effect,” Allen said during closing arguments.

“And we know Bruce Rowan is not stupid.”

Allen also denied allegations his client faked insanity when police began an interview with him that ended with Rowan stabbing himself in an apparent suicide attempt.

In his own testimony, Rowan had called the night of his wife’s death a “poorly organized nightmare” and said it had taken him “weeks and really months to understand she’s dead.”

“I could see myself, but I was still within myself,” he said of the killing, as his wife dozed in their bed.

“Debbie was just as peaceful as could be. I remember her image. The bat came down really fast. Then she groaned. That’s all she did.”

The rest of this exclusive story appears in today’s Peninsula Daily News. Click on “Subscribe” to get the PDN delivered to your home or office.

More in News

Jon Picker, airport and marina manager for the Port of Port Angeles, describes runway sections for William R. Fairchild International Airport on a diagram of the terminal area. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Fairchild upgrades completed

Ribbon cutting is planned for Dec. 12

Clallam County eyes changes to park fees

Public hearing on adjustments set Dec. 12

Rich Foutch of Active Construction, Inc., in Tacoma paints a line on the roadway at the new roundabout at Kearney Street and state Highway 20 for the placement of temporary stripes in a pedestrian crosswalk on Monday in Port Townsend. The temperatures have to be in the mid-50s to install permanent striping, he said. (Steve Mullensky/for Peninsula Daily News)
Roundabout striping

Rich Foutch of Active Construction, Inc., in Tacoma paints a line on… Continue reading

Proposal to rename Sequim road put on hold

Rotary, city to consider other options to honor local Olympian

Researcher: Managed forests needed to fight climate change

Wood products can replace existing fossil fuel-based materials

Jefferson County updates fee schedules

Environmental Public Health up 6 percent

The downtown Port Angeles Christmas tree is surrounded by people during a lighting ceremony on Saturday at First and Lincoln streets. The 30-foot tree will stand at the Conrad Dyar Memorial Fountain plaza through the holidays. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Lit up for the holidays

The downtown Port Angeles Christmas tree is surrounded by people during a… Continue reading

tsr
Community Aid seeks support for Toys for Sequim Kids

Nonprofit helps hundreds of children with Christmas presents

Planned electrical outage in Forks on Thursday

A planned power outage in Forks will affect electric service… Continue reading

Nordland man dies of injuries from Nov. 14 wreck

A second person involved in a two-car collision on Nov.… Continue reading

Santa Claus, portrayed by Stephen Rosales of Sequim, waves to the crowd after his arrival by vintage fire truck at Centennial Place in downtown Sequim on Saturday, part of the city’s Hometown Holidays celebration. Santa, accompanied by Irrigation Festival royalty, greeted children next to the city’s Christmas tree in an event that also featured music by the Sequim City Band and a lighted tractor parade. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Holiday tradition

Santa Claus, portrayed by Stephen Rosales of Sequim, waves to the crowd… Continue reading

District 3 chief pick bows out

Fire officials could resume search in ’24