EVERETT — An Everett-area woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to killing her roommate in 2017.
Tammie Peterson, 55, was convicted in Snohomish County Superior Court of first-degree murder.
In her plea, she did not admit to the homicide but acknowledged a jury was likely to convict her.
Prosecutors alleged that the attack on Deborah Jeanneret, 50, was premeditated. Jeanneret was stabbed more than 40 times at her home on Fourth Avenue West, just south of city limits.
The plea came hours before jurors were scheduled to begin hearing testimony in a trial that was expected to last for several weeks.
Under state sentencing guidelines, Peterson faces up to 31 years in prison.
Prosecutors plan to seek the higher end of the sentence, while the defense is expected to argue for less time.
That hearing is set for March 27.
Peterson had moved into the apartment about a week before the killing.
She fled with the dead woman’s car, cellphone and credit cards, which she used to make purchases, according to the charges.
When police caught up with her, Peterson blamed the killing on an ex-boyfriend. The man was arrested and held until his alibi eliminated him as a suspect.
Peterson then identified another man as the assailant. That claim also was found not to be credible.
Peterson has previous felony convictions for forgery and fraud.
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @rikkiking.
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