Here is the statement released Wednesday by Rachel Rose Burkheimer’s family:
Today marks the conclusion of the second of three trials for the murder of our beloved Rachel Rose. It has been one year and eight months since Rachel was brutally killed by this pathetic, evil, paranoid, violent and self-centered group of lost souls.
As we sat in the courtroom today and heard the verdict read pronouncing John “Diggy” Anderson guilty of first-degree aggravated murder, we felt relief, but not joy. There is no victory for us. All we can hope is that the maximum earthly punishment will be imposed upon those responsible for ending Rachel’s life.
We praise the tremendous efforts by the prosecution team of Michael Downes and Julie Mohr, their victim’s advocate team, as well as the entire Snohomish County Sheriff’s Department. The detectives and deputies that investigated and solved this crime are truly our heroes. We want to especially thank detectives Brad Pince, Kelly Willoth and Scott Fenter, as well as the advocates from Families and Friends of violent Crime: Kim Rendon, Barb Kusler and Anita Schuerhoff. The service these individuals provide our community is tremendous.
We are also grateful for the men and women who so diligently served on this jury. They remained focused on the testimony and the evidence presented to them. Our thanks to each and every one of them, including the two alternates who endured the entire trial.
Moving now toward the final trial, we have one request – that through all the legal wrangling, the days and weeks of testimony and all the news reports, please keep one thing in mind – the memory of Rachel Rose Burkheimer. She was a beautiful, funny, loving, giving, spiritual young woman who faced her death with dignity and courage.
Her love keeps us strong.
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