Slain Girl Was No Stranger To Violence -- Teenager Had Obtained Restraining Order After Suffering Abuse At Boyfriend's Hands

SHORELINE - Audra Letnes loved animals, Natalie Cole and - like many teens at Shorewood High School - loved to dress in jeans and clunky Doc Martens shoes.

She was close to her mother and, just days before she was killed, had planted a garden at their gray duplex in North King County.

But the sophomore also had a dark side. She ran with a tough crowd and had dated an 18-year-old former Shorewood High student who beat her over four months.

In March, Letnes, 16, obtained a restraining order against him in Shoreline District Court, ordering him away from her home and Shorewood and Shorecrest high schools.

According to court records, he allegedly beat her 11 times from November 1992 to March this year. She complained that three times he had held a gun to her head and played Russian roulette once; hogtied her; punched her face and head four times; pounded her head against his piano, a car, a window, a wall and a counter; kicked her in the stomach; choked her; and dragged her by her hair.

At least one beating sent Letnes to the hospital, said Kym Anderson, a victim's advocate in Shoreline District Court.

King County police would neither confirm nor deny whether detectives were interviewing Letnes' former boyfriend. A police spokesman said several acquaintances were being questioned but said there were no suspects or "persons of interest" in her death.

An autopsy yesterday revealed Letnes died from head injuries. A chunk of concrete was found near her body, discovered Wednesday morning on a trail near the Innis Arden clubhouse, just a few blocks from her home.

Yesterday, Shorewood High students said they heard Letnes had sneaked out of her house Tuesday night and had seen her boyfriend and his friend, also a former Shorewood High student.

"Anything he'd say, she'd do," said one 17-year-old Shorewood student who knew her. "He liked blondes so she dyed her hair blonde. She'd sneak out of her house late at night to go see him when she wasn't supposed to."

In April, Letnes asked a judge to remove the restraining order. The judge denied her request.

In May, after a permanent restraining order was served on her boyfriend, the two had phone contact, characterized as consensual by Anderson.

"I think it's amazing she lived as long as she did . . . considering she played Russian roulette," said Anderson.

Audra's mother, Coral Letnes, said her daughter had struggled to put her troubles behind her.

"She had her ups and downs," said Coral Letnes. "She was no saint but, you know, she was a good kid. She was full of life and she talked to everyone. She always took care of her friends. Even the mailman left her a sympathy card."

As she recalled her daughter's passion for animals - which included three cats, two gerbils and a tank of fish - Coral Letnes stared at the front yard and smiled sadly:

"At least she's at peace now." -- Times photographer Rod Mar contributed to this story.