Murder Conviction May Be `3Rd Strike' -- Elderly Woman's Killer A 2-Time Sex Offender

A two-time sex offender convicted of murdering an elderly Richmond Beach woman faces potential life imprisonment under the "three strikes" law.

A King County Superior Court jury deliberated about six hours before finding Kris Howe guilty of first-degree murder yesterday in the Feb. 10 stabbing death of 89-year-old Miriam Turner in her home.

Howe, 28, had prior convictions for rape and attempted rape. Judge Jo Anne Alumbaugh is expected to rule next week whether he meets the statutory definition of a "persistent offender." If so, he will likely be sentenced to life in prison.

Prosecutors had Howe evaluated early last year for possible indefinite commitment as a sexually violent predator. But they did not pursue it after a psychologist determined he did not meet the statutory definition.

The statute requires the person being committed be found to have a "mental abnormality or personality disorder" that makes him likely to again become sexually violent.

Howe, who is mildly retarded, participated in the Twin Rivers Prison sexual-offender-treatment program and completed his outpatient sexual-deviancy counseling just days before the murder, said prosecutors.

Turner, who had lived in the same house for three decades, had hired Howe a few times to do yardwork. Police were led to Howe after finding his name in the victim's checkbook register.

Senior Deputy Prosecutor Lisa Marchese said Howe became enraged when Turner wouldn't hire him or give him money. He grabbed a knife from her kitchen and stabbed her in the heart and liver.

Turner was not sexually assaulted.

Howe confessed to the killing, but defense attorney Don Minor said police used psychological coercion and could have fed him critical details.

After five hours of police questioning, Howe asked to see his sister and told her in front of homicide detectives that he killed the woman.

"There is absolutely no evidence corroborating his admission he committed this crime," Minor said.

Before admitting he killed Turner, Howe told detectives he went to her house hoping she would hire him to do yardwork and found her body. He said he handled her purse, a telephone that had been yanked from the wall and the murder weapon, found by police beneath the woman's garage.

Howe lived with his parents about five minutes from Turner's house.

Howe is the first King County three-strikes candidate to qualify by committing a crime other than robbery. If not for the law, his standard sentence would be approximately 30 years, although the vulnerability of his victim would likely be grounds for an exceptional sentence.

Judy Turner, the victim's daughter said the conviction provides closure.

"Now, hopefully, we can put this behind us," she said.