LAKE STEVENS — He was found guilty of murdering his girlfriend’s younger sister almost two decades ago.
Robert Dale Woods II was released from prison in May 2017.
Last month, he was arrested again, this time for investigation of assault. He is accused of pulling a knife on a neighbor. The confrontation reportedly was prompted by a fight with his girlfriend, the same woman whose sister was killed in 2001.
The younger sister, 17, was helping the couple by letting Woods stay at her Everett apartment.
On Sept. 28, 2001, the girl was bound and strangled in her home. Woods was convicted of second-degree murder and sent to prison for 18 years. He served 14 of those years and remains under supervision by the state Department of Corrections.
As of Tuesday, Woods, now 38, was being held at the Snohomish County Jail. His bail was set at $500,000. He’s charged with second-degree assault, to which he pleaded not guilty.
On the evening of June 19, someone called 911 on Woods and his girlfriend in Lake Stevens, saying they were yelling at each other outside, court papers show.
One neighbor told police he could hear the couple arguing from inside his house. He yelled at Woods through the window to stop shouting at the woman, according to court records. Woods reportedly told the man to come outside if he wanted to talk.
The man walked out of his house, and saw Woods brandishing a pocket knife with the blade out, prosecutors allege.
Woods reportedly told the man he’d been to “the joint” before.
“You think I won’t kill you?” Woods allegedly said.
The man started walking back toward his house, and Woods reportedly ran after him. Then police showed up, and Woods allegedly threw the knife into the yard and stuck his hands in the air.
His girlfriend, now 36, allegedly told investigators she thought Woods was going to stab the man. She said Woods has become increasingly aggressive, and that their relationship has been violent in the past, according to the charges.
It wasn’t the first time her complaints have been documented.
Woods’ girlfriend filed for a protection order against him in 2001, days before her sister’s death, records show. She was set to show up for a hearing about the protection order, but an emergency caused the courthouse to evacuate that day.
Her appointment was rescheduled to Sept. 26. She didn’t go, and instead dropped the request, according to court papers. The homicide was Sept. 28.
The younger sister had been emancipated and was living on her own. She was a senior at Lake Stevens High School, where she took advanced classes and maintained a 3.6 GPA. She hoped to attend the University of Washington.
Woods called police after she died, and said he had found her body. He told varying stories about what happened.
During his sentencing, the older sister wrote a letter to the judge.
She said she planned to “stand by Robert at all times,” according to news coverage from the time.
Woods’ trial on the assault charges involving the neighbor is set for August.
Stephanie Davey: 425-339-3192; sdavey@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @stephrdavey.
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