GUILTY WA - Sarah Yarborough, 16, found deceased, Federal Way, 14 Dec 1991 *DNA arrest in 2019*

[Niner]

Docket update:

Documents List:
Sub # Date Filed Document Name Additional Information
150 05/22/2023 MM - Memorandum SENTENCING

151 05/23/2023 RPT - Report DEFENSE PRESENTENCE


Hearings:
Date/Time Type Official Location
05/25/2023 09:00 AM Sentencing Hearing Judge Wiggs (Courtroom 3C) Courtroom 3C

link: https://dja-prd-ecexap1.kingcounty.gov/?q=node/405/2747013/FV-Public-Case-Events-Portal

 

[Niner]

Thursday, May 25th:
*Sentencing Hearing (@ 9am PT) – WA – Sarah Yarborough (16) (Dec. 14, 1991, Federal Way near Seattle) - *Patrick Leon Nicholas (27 @ time of crime/55/now 58) arrested (10/2/19), charged (10/3/19) & arraigned (10/17/19) with 1st degree murder with sexual motivation, 2nd degree rape & 2nd degree murder. Plead not guilty. $5M bond.
DNA from 2 cigarette butts matched DNA from crime scene.
Trial began on 4/17/23 & ended 4/17/23 with jury selection. 12 jurors & 4 alternates. 4/17/23: One juror excused. Now 12 jurors & 3 alternates.
Jury began deliberations on 5/9/23. ~8:30am to 5pm; ~ 8 ½ hours Total.
Trial began on 4/17/23 & ended on 5/3/23. Judge Wiggs presiding.
Court info from 10/3/19 thru 3/28/23 & Jury Selection Day 1 (3/29/23) & thru 4/14/23 & Trial day 1-13 (4/17-5/5/23) reference post #213 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...14-dec-1991-dna-arrest-in-2019.159660/page-11
5/9/23 Tuesday, Trial Day 14/Jury Deliberations Day 1: No info on deliberations. Jury deliberations continued on Wednesday, 5/10/23.
5/10/23 Wednesday, Trail Day 15/Jury Deliberations Day 2: Jurors found him not guilty of the first charge, which accused Nicholas of killing Sarah with premeditated intent. They did find him guilty of the second charge, which accused Nicholas of killing Sarah in the course of attempting to commit rape against her. And jurors also found him guilty of the third charge, 2nd degree murder, which accused Nicholas of killing Sarah in the course of attempting to the crime of “indecent liberties” against her. He was also charged in each count with a special verdict of sexual motivation. Jurors affirmed that special verdict in both of the charges for which they found him guilty. Nicholas is scheduled to be sentenced on 5/25/23 at 9am.
5/10/23: Verdict (#137-142). Exhibit lists (#144 & 145). Jury note (#146). Inquiry from the jury (#147). Statement of prosecuting attorney (#149). 5/18/23: (#149) Statement of prosecuting attorney. 5/22/23: (#150) Memo: sentencing. 5/23/23 (#151) Defense pre sentencing report.

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

Nearly 46 years, Patrick Leon Nicholas was sentenced Thursday to 548 months for the 1991 cold case murder of Federal Way teen Sarah Yarborough

Nicholas sentenced to nearly 46 years in 1991 cold case murder of Federal Way teen Sarah Yarborough

On Dec. 14, 1991, 16-year-old Sarah Yarborough was found raped and murdered on the campus of Federal Way High School.

www.kiro7.com

 

[Niner]

Nearly 46 years, Patrick Leon Nicholas was sentenced Thursday to 548 months for the 1991 cold case murder of Federal Way teen Sarah Yarborough

Nicholas sentenced to nearly 46 years in 1991 cold case murder of Federal Way teen Sarah Yarborough

On Dec. 14, 1991, 16-year-old Sarah Yarborough was found raped and murdered on the campus of Federal Way High School.

www.kiro7.com

Thank you for this info!

A long time coming for Sarah to get justice - but it finally came....

RIP!

 

[ifindedout]

Nicholas had been arrested in June 1983 for attempted rape and was sentenced to 10 years, but was paroled after only 3½ years:

Sarah Yarborough's killer had been in prison for attacking another woman, but was released early

Had Patrick Nicholas served his full sentence of 10 years for a previous attempted rape of another woman he would not have been free to strangle 16-year-old Sarah Yarborough.

www.cbsnews.com

Soon after Nicholas' arrest, police in nearby Oregon knocked on the door of Anne Croney and told her that detectives in Seattle were interested in talking to her. Croney knew Nicholas because eight years before Sarah Yarborough was murdered, he had held Croney at knifepoint.

[...]

While in police custody for the attack on Croney, Nicholas admitted to police that "I realize that I have a problem concerning raping girls. I was going to force the girl to have sex with me that day in the park, and I realize that is not right. I want help for my problem." Croney spoke at Nicholas' sentencing hearing, and a judge sentenced him to the maximum term: 10 years in prison. Croney thought justice had been served and moved on with her life, hardly thinking of Nicholas.

[...]

What's more, Croney believed that Nicholas had served the full 10 years of his prison sentence. But he hadn't. He had been released on parole after just three-and-a-half years. "48 Hours" reviewed copies of Nicholas' file where it was noted that he did not have any "major infractions" while in prison and did not have a drug or alcohol problem. In one evaluation, it was written that he "would be safe to be at large given an ongoing therapeutic relationship and parole supervision." So, in 1987, Nicholas was released from prison early, with the understanding that he would go into an outpatient sex offender treatment program. It is not clear how long he stayed in that program.