Man found guilty in slaying of girl in botched murder-for-hire plot

It was an epilogue, really.

When jurors yesterday found Thomas Mullin-Coston, 21, guilty of first-degree murder, it was the fourth and final conviction in a sad and sordid tale that included the slaying of a 15-year-old girl and a botched murder-for-hire plot.

Mullin-Coston was convicted of the murder of Sarah Starling on March 9, 1999, at Kingsgate Park near Kirkland. Her body was found the next day — beaten, strangled, and stabbed through her neck. Starling's ex-boyfriend, Jason McDaniels, 22, was found guilty of killing her. He was convicted in April to second-degree murder and subsequently sentenced to 41 years in jail. Jurors in that trial couldn't agree on whether McDaniels' actions were premeditated and surprised prosecutors, who had sought a first-degree conviction.

The difference was seven to nine years sliced off McDaniels' sentence.

During the police investigation of that case, authorities uncovered a murder-for-hire plot against Starling's stepfather, Jerry Rose, hatched by Starling's mother, Teresa Rose.

Teresa Rose had hired McDaniels to kill Jerry Rose, promising McDaniels $10,000 in cash, a Dodge Durango and plane tickets to Hawaii. She was already giving McDaniels money, buying him alcohol and housing and feeding him. She was found guilty last year of conspiracy to commit murder and is serving a five-year-prison term.

Prosecutors say the plot was never carried out because Jerry Rose entered his house through the wrong door, surprising McDaniels and the friend he had recruited to help. McDaniels, a drifter, testified he never meant to go through with the plan and only talked about killing Rose just to maintain the part of "the big man."

The friend, Justin Hanson, 20, pleaded guilty to rendering criminal assistance and is serving a 17-month sentence.

Mullin-Coston's motive in Starling's death was never been clear during his trial in King County Superior Court. He and McDaniels were good friends who picked up Starling from another friend's apartment a few hours before she was murdered. Starling thought she and McDaniels were going to try and patch up their recently-broken relationship.

They drove to the park. Mullin-Coston was in the rear seat of the car when he choked Starling to unconsciousness. He and McDaniels then dragged her out of the car, into a heavily-wooded ravine, where they eventually left her.

During their trials, Mullin-Coston and McDaniels blamed Starling's murder on each other. McDaniels said he only stabbed Starling because Mullin-Coston held him at gunpoint. Mullin-Coston said he was just sitting in the back seat and watched Starling die.

McDaniels, apparently, initiated the plan to kill Starling. He was upset that he had "lost a gold mine," according to prosecutors. McDaniels was also angry because Starling was talking too freely about the failed murder-for-hire plot.

Mullin-Coston is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 14. Under state sentencing guidelines, first-degree murder is punishable by between 20 years and about 46 years in prison.