David Evan Williams opened his pocketknife and hid it before confronting an acquaintance Sept. 30 in the parking lot of a north Everett convenience store.
That was one fact that convinced a Snohomish County Superior Court jury to convict him of second-degree murder Dec. 23 in the stabbing death of William “Bucky” Hogan.
And it was one element that convinced a judge Thursday to sentence Williams to more than 18 years in prison.
Prosecutors called it a vengeance killing because of Hogan’s past treatment of Williams. After the trial, some jurors called it an execution, deputy prosecutor Chris Dickinson said.
Williams, 42, of Arlington led a “chaotic, dysfunctional lifestyle” in which he used methamphetamines and stayed at other people’s homes, Judge Ronald Castleberry said.
Castleberry, who leads a drug court for addicted teenagers, said he wishes those young people could have seen the trial, as an example of the destructive lifestyle that stems from drugs.
During the sentencing, Castleberry said his juvenile drug court participants frequently believe bad things will happen to others, but not to them.
“The reality is, it does happen not just to someone else,” Castleberry said.
Williams and Hogan battled over a $35 debt that Williams’ girlfriend owed to Hogan.
Although Hogan was depicted as a tough guy at the trial, the judge noted that his friends and family saw him differently. Many wrote letters to the judge asking for a high sentence for Williams.
“It never ceases to amaze me the ripple effect of crime on a victim’s family,” Castleberry said.
Public defender Natalie Tarantino asked the judge to either throw out the verdict or grant Williams a new trial. Castleberry denied both requests.
Dickinson asked for the high end of the sentencing range, more than 23 years, while Tarantino wanted under 15 years, the low end of the range.
Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or haley@heraldnet.com.
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