Prosecution Witness Wants To Wed Suspect

YAKIMA

The key prosecution witness in a murder case wants to marry the defendant.

The marriage is not expected to affect Yakima County's case against Timothy Schaaf, 24, who is charged with first-degree murder in the June 21 strangling death of 17-year-old Tamara Robillard.

Schaaf's fiancee and girlfriend at the time of the slaying, Joelle Kremnetz, 22, provided the sheriff's office with information that led to his arrest.

Yakima County Prosecutor Jeff Sullivan said he still expects her to testify. But the marriage may complicate things, he said.

He said Kremnetz has not expressed any second thoughts about testifying against Schaaf, who is being held in the Yakima County Jail.

It's not known when they plan to wed.

The trial is set to begin Dec. 7 in Yakima County Superior Court. The state Attorney General's Office will prosecute the case because Robillard was Sullivan's second cousin.