Man pleads guilty to killing radio host Webb
SEATTLE - The man accused of killing former radio talk show host Mike Webb pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree murder in the case.
Scott Brian White, 28, bludgeoned Webb with a double-bladed ax about 2½ years ago as Webb lay in bed, then hid his body in a crawl space.
The murder was so unspeakable that prosecutors sought a first-degree murder conviction. But a psychiatric evaluation eventually convinced them it was a conviction they could not win, since it would be difficult or impossible to prove the killing was premeditated.
"His ability to premeditate (murder) was severely hampered by his mental health issues," says King County Assistant Prosecutor Don Raz.
Instead, prosecutors asked for a change of plea to second-degree murder, and White pleaded guilty to the charge.
His sentencing is scheduled for July 10, and prosecutors are seeking a 12-year prison term.
Prosecutors say White and Webb were in bed together when White got up on the pretext of having a cigarette. He then grabbed an ax from under the bed and bludgeoned Webb.
Charging documents did not provide a specific motive, but said detectives said that White stole a car and money from Webb, and had pawned several electronic items from Webb's home.
Webb, 51, hosted a late night talk show for 10 years on Seattle's KIRO Radio station. KIRO Radio fired Webb in December 2005, shortly after he was charged with insurance fraud.
Prosecutors said he filed a fraudulent insurance claim after a traffic accident in June 2005, and Webb was convicted of insurance fraud in February 2006, sentenced to 240 hours of community service and fined $1,000.
White and Webb met in November 2006 and had lived together for a while, court documents said.
A property manager cleaning out Webb's rented Queen Anne-area found his decomposed body in late June beneath boxes and a tarp in a basement crawl space.
Webb was last seen April 13, 2007, and Webb's sister filed a missing-person report in mid-May of that year. His family members and friends had continued to receive text messages from Webb's cell phone for a month after he disappeared, saying he was fine and going to leave town.
But they said the messages were out of character for Webb, containing misspellings and the signoff "Mike," although Webb did not sign his messages, charging papers said.
White was arrested after police located him in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood.
After his arrest, White initially denied killing Webb, but eventually told investigators that he had placed an ax under his side of the bed he shared with Webb. He told Webb he was going to have a cigarette, but grabbed the ax and bludgeoned Webb in the early morning hours of April 14, 2007, court documents said.
An autopsy concluded Webb suffered five cuts across his face, as well as a skull fracture, consistent with an ax. He also suffered several stab wounds.
White said he then put a plastic bag over Webb's head, duct-taped his hands and used the tape as a handle to drag the body down the stairs and hid it in the basement. A double-bladed ax was found near the body, court papers said.
White also admitted sending the fake text messages, and taking Webb's money and personal property, the charging documents said.
Scott Brian White, 28, bludgeoned Webb with a double-bladed ax about 2½ years ago as Webb lay in bed, then hid his body in a crawl space.
The murder was so unspeakable that prosecutors sought a first-degree murder conviction. But a psychiatric evaluation eventually convinced them it was a conviction they could not win, since it would be difficult or impossible to prove the killing was premeditated.
"His ability to premeditate (murder) was severely hampered by his mental health issues," says King County Assistant Prosecutor Don Raz.
Instead, prosecutors asked for a change of plea to second-degree murder, and White pleaded guilty to the charge.
His sentencing is scheduled for July 10, and prosecutors are seeking a 12-year prison term.
Prosecutors say White and Webb were in bed together when White got up on the pretext of having a cigarette. He then grabbed an ax from under the bed and bludgeoned Webb.
Charging documents did not provide a specific motive, but said detectives said that White stole a car and money from Webb, and had pawned several electronic items from Webb's home.
Webb, 51, hosted a late night talk show for 10 years on Seattle's KIRO Radio station. KIRO Radio fired Webb in December 2005, shortly after he was charged with insurance fraud.
Prosecutors said he filed a fraudulent insurance claim after a traffic accident in June 2005, and Webb was convicted of insurance fraud in February 2006, sentenced to 240 hours of community service and fined $1,000.
White and Webb met in November 2006 and had lived together for a while, court documents said.
A property manager cleaning out Webb's rented Queen Anne-area found his decomposed body in late June beneath boxes and a tarp in a basement crawl space.
Webb was last seen April 13, 2007, and Webb's sister filed a missing-person report in mid-May of that year. His family members and friends had continued to receive text messages from Webb's cell phone for a month after he disappeared, saying he was fine and going to leave town.
But they said the messages were out of character for Webb, containing misspellings and the signoff "Mike," although Webb did not sign his messages, charging papers said.
White was arrested after police located him in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood.
After his arrest, White initially denied killing Webb, but eventually told investigators that he had placed an ax under his side of the bed he shared with Webb. He told Webb he was going to have a cigarette, but grabbed the ax and bludgeoned Webb in the early morning hours of April 14, 2007, court documents said.
An autopsy concluded Webb suffered five cuts across his face, as well as a skull fracture, consistent with an ax. He also suffered several stab wounds.
White said he then put a plastic bag over Webb's head, duct-taped his hands and used the tape as a handle to drag the body down the stairs and hid it in the basement. A double-bladed ax was found near the body, court papers said.
White also admitted sending the fake text messages, and taking Webb's money and personal property, the charging documents said.