By Scott North
Herald Writer
Three Snohomish County 14-year-olds legally marked their passage into adulthood Wednesday by being charged with first-degree murder in the brutal killing of an Everett man.
If convicted as charged, Heather L. Opel, Marriam D. Oliver and Kyle W. Boston all can expect to spend a minimum of 20 years in prison if convicted.
The three previously had been charged as juveniles in connection with the April killing of Jerry Heimann, 64. But Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Charles French on Friday ruled justice would be better served if they faced trial as adults.
If not for the ruling, the defendants would have faced a maximum punishment of incarceration in a juvenile prison until they reach 21.
Prosecutors say all of the teens agreed to participate in killing Heimann.
The plot allegedly was hatched by Heather Opel’s mother, Barbara, 38, of Everett, who had worked as a live-in caregiver for Heimann’s ailing 89-year-old mother. After the killing, Barbara Opel allegedly looted Heimann’s bank account and gave the teens some of the money.
Barbara Opel is charged with aggravated first-degree murder, and prosecutors are considering asking for the death penalty. Another defendant, Jeff Grote, 17, Heather Opel’s former boyfriend, has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and under a plea agreement likely will be sentenced to 50 years in prison.
Each of the teens charged Wednesday has admitted playing a role in the crime, deputy prosecutor Chris Dickinson said in court papers filed Wednesday. All allegedly had different levels of involvement, which French detailed Friday in a 29-page ruling on the case.
Evidence suggests Heather Opel actively joined her mother in planning and carrying out the killing, French wrote.
"She displayed no reluctance in participating in his murder. She became actively involved in inflicting wounds to Mr. Heimann" and encouraged other children to become involved, French wrote.
Oliver, of Everett, initially was reluctant to engage in the attack, but allegedly hit Heimann with an aluminum baseball bat so hard that his skull split open, court papers show.
"While it is unclear whether this blow contributed to Mr. Heimann’s death, Marriam may have believed the blow was necessary to finalize Mr. Heimann’s death," the judge wrote.
Boston, of Arlington, allegedly was hired to attack Heimann, but agreed only to assault and not kill the man. Still, he knew the others were planning murder and showed "an alarming lack of empathy" by taking Heimann’s car keys while the victim was being beaten to death, French wrote.
A 13-year-old Marysville boy also is charged with the killing, but French said he was convinced justice and the community would be better served by keeping that youth’s case in juvenile court. Like Boston, the teen allegedly agreed to assault but not kill Heimann. He left after delivering a handful of blows.
The 13-year-old boy’s name is not being published because his case remains in the juvenile court system.
All of the teens remain locked up in juvenile detention.
You can call Herald Writer Scott North at 425-339-3431
or send e-mail to north@heraldnet.com.
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