A Mill Creek-area man charged with the beating death of his roommate could face life in prison without the possibility of release under the state’s three-strikes law.
William Douglas Lance, 34, is accused of bludgeoning and strangling to death Darrell Plumb, 51, inside their house on April 23.
He reportedly buried Plumb’s body in the backyard to hide the crime. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder in Snohomish County Superior Court last week.
Witnesses told police there was friction between the two men because Plumb wouldn’t let Lance in the garage, where the older man allegedly took care of a marijuana growing operation.
At least three people saw Plumb’s body on the living room floor the day after he was killed.
They told investigators they didn’t want to call police until they cleaned up the marijuana operation, according to Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Craig Matheson.
Lance was convicted of second-degree robbery in 1995 and 1996. If convicted of murder, he could be sent to prison for life without parole.
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