Grieving parents wait for visas

By Scott North

Herald Writer

The parents of a slain mail-order bride are waiting for more than justice in their daughter’s case.

They also are hoping for permission to remain in the United States so they can be near the young woman’s grave.

Alevtina "Alla" Solovieva and Anatoliy Soloviev are the parents of Anastasia S. King. The 20-year-old University of Washington student was murdered in September 2000 after returning to Mountlake Terrace from a visit to her parents’ home in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, in the former Soviet Union.

The Solovievs came to Snohomish County to bury their daughter and participate in the case against the two men accused in her killing. They also have applied for humanitarian visas to remain in the U.S. and eventually apply for permanent resident status.

Federal immigration officials have not taken action on the request, and the legal limbo has made it impossible for the Solovievs to make plans, or to even seek employment, said Bernice Funk, a Seattle attorney who has volunteered to assist in their immigration case.

"Their life circumstances are decaying rapidly," Funk said.

The Solovievs have been living in the U.S. since February, largely on the kindness of strangers. They came here on temporary visas issued after prosecutors listed them as witnesses against Daniel Kristopher Larson, 21, and their former son-in-law, Indle Gifford King, Jr., 40. Larson pleaded guilty Oct. 15 to strangling Anastasia King and has agreed to testify against Indle King, his former landlord, who faces a January trial on a first-degree murder charge.

The Solovievs in June applied to the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service for humanitarian visas. Devout members of the Russian Orthodox church, the Solovievs argued, in part, that their faith requires them to remain near their daughter’s grave.

People trying to help the couple had hoped a new federal law designed to crack down on domestic violence would help them stay in the country.

The legislation, co-sponsored by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., was approved in October 2000. Among other things, the law specifies that immigrants can gain permanent residency here if they are material witnesses in the investigation of domestic violence, murder, sexual exploitation, involuntary servitude, the slave trade and other offenses.

Murray wrote the INS in July, urging the agency’s approval of a humanitarian visa for the couple.

"The Solovievs have been the victim of the worst domestic violence, the murder of their only child," Murray wrote.

Bob Okin, deputy district director at the INS office in Seattle, said Friday that his agency has been moving forward on the visa requests but is hampered because the law they’ve filed under is so new INS has not yet worked out procedures for its implementation.

"We are sympathetic to their plight," Okin said.

Funk, who has been practicing immigration law for 16 years, said she has reason to believe that INS is simply stalling and has had its attentions focused since Sept. 11 on addressing terrorism concerns.

"It is looking more like they are just going to sit on this excuse," she said.

The temporary visas the Solovievs were granted early this year expire in January. Prosecutors have sent INS information about the murder case, seeking an extension.

Okin said the Solovievs’ visa requests have been sent to regional headquarters in California for review, and "there is still time" for action before the temporary visas expire.

Court papers show Anastasia King’s parents have told authorities that the young woman’s final visit home was marred by Indle King pursuing her around her hometown, accusing her of infidelity and showing anger over the disintegration of their marriage.

Among other things, Indle King allegedly gave his in-laws a list detailing his displeasure with his wife, including her reluctance to prepare meals, clean their home and participate in sexual activity.

The Solovievs were in court earlier this month watching Larson plead guilty to killing their daughter. Larson, who had rented a room at the King home, insisted in court papers that he killed the young woman "under threats of death and coercion" by her husband.

Indle King flatly denies killing his wife, and his attorneys have filed court papers documenting how Larson’s story about what happened has undergone repeated revisions.

"His story about Indle King Jr. threatening him and forcing him to participate is a complete fabrication, and Larson has admitted as much in subsequent writings. In fact, Larson is a rather prolific writer and has admitted on numerous occasions to killing Anastasia King alone, in the name of God" and in keeping with what he perceives as Biblical law, attorneys David Allen and Cassandra Stamm said in court papers.

You can call Herald Writer Scott North at 425-339-3431 or send e-mail to north@heraldnet.com.

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