Glass In Bullet Wound Cited In Murder Case

A sliver of glass found in a wound of a dead Marysville man is a key element in King County prosecutors' claim that a Duvall man charged with his murder was not acting in self-defense.

Thomas Dean Forgey, 33, pleaded not guilty yesterday to a second-degree murder charge in connection with the April 5 death of Michael G. Gallagher at Forgey's remote home at 14318 Batten Road.

Gallagher, 30, who was shot in the back of the head, was found curled up just inside the doorway to Forgey's home.

A .22-caliber rifle was found next to his body.

Forgey, a heavy-equipment operator, allegedly told King County police he "ventilated" Gallagher after Gallagher tried to enter the house while yelling threats.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor Lee Yates charged that a bullet hole through the passenger window of Gallagher's truck and the sliver of glass in his wound prove he was killed while he sat in his truck.

According to Yates, Forgey said he sneaked out a back window when Gallagher banged on his front door and threatened to "sodomize" him. Forgey said he circled to the front of the house and fired a warning shot from a rifle through Gallagher's truck window. Forgey said Gallagher then fired a return shot and started to run inside the house.

"So I dropped him clean," Forgey allegedly told police.

But Yates charged the rifle found near Gallagher's body was Forgey's weapon, was not loaded, and showed no evidence of being fired.

Forgey said he didn't know Gallagher but the men had been seen together at a Duvall bar earlier that night, according to the charges.

Yates gave no motive for the slaying, but said it appears Gallagher, who had just separated from his wife, had no place to sleep that Sunday night.

The Duvall man allegedly owns 13 guns.

Forgey is being held in King County Jail on $250,000 bail.