MARYSVILLE — Tammy Sheary lost her son to methamphetamine.
Now it appears mental havoc wreaked by the powerful and addictive drug may also deny her the certainty of justice.
Friday marks the second anniversary of Brady Sheary’s slaying. Snohomish County prosecutors say the 18-year-old was stabbed and beaten by an acquaintance, who left his body in the parking lot at Cedarcrest School.
At a court hearing today, prosecutors plan to dismiss a second-degree murder charge against Todd Lee Brodahl, 20, a move that will put the case against him into hibernation.
State experts say the Marysville man is too mentally ill to assist in his own defense — at least for now.
Although the exact nature of Brodahl’s problems remains undetermined, his heavy use of meth prior to his arrest is considered contributory to his mental illness, according to court records.
Trying to have a conversation with Brodahl is "like talking to a shell," said his defense attorney, public defender Natalie Tarantino.
"He sits and stares, and he doesn’t interact with anybody," she said. "It is just a mental shutdown."
Under the law, a defendant must be able to assist his attorney at trial and must fully understand the proceedings and charges against him. If he can’t, he’s not competent to stand trial.
Brodahl has been in a mental hospital since early 2003 undergoing treatment.
Deputy prosecutor John Adcock said he had no choice but to dismiss the case and hope that experts at Western State Hospital in Steilacoom can help Brodahl regain the ability to participate in his defense.
"If he is restored to competency, we will refile our charge because there is no statute of limitations on murder," Adcock said.
Tammy Sheary said she doubts the severity of Brodahl’s mental problems. But she also understands why the charge must be dismissed. She said she takes comfort in knowing that Brodahl won’t be getting out, but instead is headed for a civil commitment hearing and confinement at the state mental hospital.
Lawyers say the time Brodahl is locked up receiving treatment can’t be used to reduce his sentence if he is ever convicted of the killing.
"I hope he plays it out for 10 years," Tammy Sheary said.
In the years since her son’s death, Tammy Sheary has dedicated herself to calling attention to the damage caused by meth. Her journey has taken her throughout the state and has attracted national attention, including an article in Rolling Stone magazine.
Tammy Sheary usually talks to audiences filled with people who are about the same age her son was when he began dabbling in drugs.
Brady Sheary was outgoing and athletic, with the rugged good looks of an outdoorsman. He loved fishing and camping and spending time riding motorcycles.
"He was full of life. Absolutely full of life," Tammy Sheary said. "Incredibly quick-witted. A real sense of humor."
Her son’s problems with drugs began in high school when he developed a dependence on marijuana. He went into treatment in spring 2001 and returned home filled with enthusiasm and a sense of purpose, Tammy Sheary said.
Then two close friends were killed in a car crash, and Brady Sheary began using meth. He returned to treatment in October 2001.
Brodahl was someone Brady Sheary knew from the meth world. The defendant has a child with a young woman. Tammy Sheary said her son angered Brodahl by sending the woman a valentine.
About two weeks before the killing, Brodahl left a telephone threat for Brady Sheary, his mother said. The teen didn’t seem concerned. He deleted it.
Brady Sheary spent April 22, 2002, out with friends. He didn’t come home. His mother said that was unusual. The eldest of her two children had a habit of stopping by her bedroom door and telling her he loved her and asking that she remember her prayers, she said.
Brady Sheary and Brodahl were seen together by Marysville police about 1 a.m. April 23. Later, Brodahl walked into a convenience store, and the clerk commented on injuries to his knuckles and throat, and what appeared to be blood on his shirt, court papers say.
Brodahl told the clerk that he "took care of some Marysville fool last night," papers say.
Brady Sheary’s body was discovered the next morning in the parking lot of the middle school he had attended as a teen. An autopsy found fatal wounds to his head and heart.
Tammy Sheary was at work in Everett when she learned that a body had been found. It wasn’t long before two detectives were in the lobby asking to speak with her.
Brodahl was arrested within hours after police allegedly caught him with a bag of meth. Investigators later searched his car. Genetic tests showed blood smeared inside belonged to Brady Sheary.
Brodahl was jailed and charged with murder. The case followed the usual path for months, then Brodahl stopped talking with his attorney. He was sent to Western State for an evaluation, but wouldn’t interact with doctors. Instead, according to hospital reports, Brodahl would sit and stare into space.
Tarantino said that in all the time her client has been at the mental hospital, he’s never watched television or voluntarily engaged in conversation. She met with him this month and found it almost impossible to communicate. A conversation that should have taken 20 minutes took more than three hours, she said.
Tammy Sheary said she wants resolution in the case, but knows the wait may be long.
She said she’s grateful for her son’s friends, who continue to honor his memory. A vigil is planned at his grave in Marysville at 7 p.m. Friday.
Meanwhile, she plans to continue talking about her son’s life and death.
"I admire Tammy’s strength," Adcock said. "It has been a long time. It has been two years since her son was murdered. She’s a remarkable person."
Reporter Scott North: 425-339-3431 or north@heraldnet.com.
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