Video: Wash. Jury Rules Trooper's 1998 Death a Homicide
The death of Trooper Ronda Reynolds was initially ruled a suicide by the coroner. Her mother who had pushed to clear her daughter's name said the ruling was justice.
The 1998 shooting death of a Washington state trooper was a homicide and the woman's husband and stepson were responsible, an inquest jury concluded Wednesday.
The ruling overturned the coroner's ruling of suicide in the death of Ronda Reynolds. Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod said he'll issue arrest warrants.
The evidence that cast doubt that the death was a suicide included the bullet entering Reynolds' head at a bizarre angle for a self-inflicted wound. Her body was in a bedroom closet and a pillow had been covering her head; the pillow had a bullet hole, but the gun was found between the pillow and her head.
The gun, which had been wiped clean of prints, was found in her left hand. The trooper was a right-handed, firearms instructor.
The lead sheriff's detective on the case, Jerry Berry, told The Seattle Times in 2009 that inconsistencies quickly arose in Ron Reynolds' account of what happened.
Other evidence suggested she had been preparing to leave alive. Several packed bags were found. She bought a plane ticket to Spokane the day before, and scrawled in lipstick on the bedroom mirror was a message to "call me."
Source:News Tribune
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