Jury Deliberating In Murder Trial

EVERETT - A jury resumed deliberations this morning in the murder trial of a 23-year-old man accused of killing his 17-year-old friend.

Dwayne Dodgen was charged with both first-degree murder and second-degree murder in the stabbing and beating death of Matthew Everist.

The Snohomish County jury, which began its deliberations Friday, will pick one of the two charges if they find Dodgen guilty.

Dodgen already is serving a one-year sentence for rendering criminal assistance in connection with Everist's death. He was charged with second-degree murder in May after new evidence indicated he was involved in the slaying. A charge of first-degree murder was added just before Dodgen's trial began.

To convict Dodgen of first-degree murder, the jury must find that the act was premeditated. For a second-degree-murder conviction, the killing does not need to be premeditated.

Everist was reported missing in late January 1994. His skeletal remains were found eight months later along the Snohomish River near the Everett neighborhood of Lowell.

Everist had been stabbed numerous times. Dodgen led police to the site. Anthony Crane, 22, and Seth Weber, 22, also face murder charges in connection with the crime.