Man who killed teen girl in drive-by shooting sentenced to more than 90 years in prison
SNOHOMISH COUNTY -- A judge sentenced Erick Walker to more than 90 years in prison for the death of 15-year-old Molly Conley Tuesday.
Conley was fatally shot on her birthday as she walked with friends along a Lake Stevens road in 2013. The 28-year-old Walker was found guilty of manslaughter, assault and five counts of drive-by shooting in March.
Walker was found not guilty of a first-degree murder charge.
To convict of first degree murder, the jury had to find that Walker set out to kill someone or acted with “extreme indifference of human life.” To be convicted of manslaughter the jury had to find only that Walker “recklessly” caused the death of another person.
Prosecutors said Walker, of Marysville, went on a three-hour shooting spree on June 1, 2013, indiscriminately firing from his car. Prosecutors had asked for a term of 90 years.
Conley's father, John Conley, had this to stay following the sentencing:
We’re relieved this murderer is in prison for life, unfortunately a small fraction of this sentence is for Molly and the five girls.
Molly was murdered, at near point blank range as provenby forensics in trial.
Several issues led to the murder acquittal including allowance of an 11th hour lessor charge of manslaughter that exacerbated the impact of a renegade juror.
This failed conviction must be acknowledged; this failure cannot be downplayed because of a favorable sentence; otherwise what caused this will not be corrected for the next family.
There will be another Father standing right here and another murdered child, what happens when the same issues and failures lead to another murder acquittal and there are no more counts to fall back on.
A murderer will walk away from a murder charge as Erick Walker has.
The difference is, in our case the murderer walks into prison, in the next case the murderer walks onto our streets.