Charges filed in murder of Seattle radio host
SEATTLE (AP) - A 28-year-old homeless man told police he rose from bed on the pretext of having a cigarette, but then grabbed an ax and bludgeoned former radio talk show host Mike Webb, prosecutors said Friday as they filed a first-degree murder charge in the case.
Scott Brian White admitted to investigators that he had killed Webb, charging papers in King County Superior Court said
The papers did not provide a specific motive, but said detectives developed evidence 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.
White and Webb had met in November and had lived together for a while, court documents said.
A friend of Webb's, John McMullen, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that he believed Webb had offered his help to White to get him free of drugs.
White was arrested Wednesday night after police received information and found him at Trolley Hill Park in the city's Queen Anne neighborhood.
A property manager cleaning out Webb's rented Queen Anne-area found his decomposed body in late June beneath boxes and a tarpaulin in a basement crawl space. An autopsy indicated he died from multiple sharp-force injuries.
Webb was last seen April 13, and Webb's sister filed a missing-person report in mid-May. 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.
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, 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.
White had not been assigned an attorney by Friday afternoon, the King County public defenders office said.
He remained held on $1 million bail, with arraignment scheduled for July 30. If convicted, he would face a standard sentencing range of 22 to nearly 29 years in prison.
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.
Webb was convicted of insurance fraud in February, sentenced to 240 hours of community service and fined $1,000.
Scott Brian White admitted to investigators that he had killed Webb, charging papers in King County Superior Court said
The papers did not provide a specific motive, but said detectives developed evidence 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.
White and Webb had met in November and had lived together for a while, court documents said.
A friend of Webb's, John McMullen, told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer that he believed Webb had offered his help to White to get him free of drugs.
White was arrested Wednesday night after police received information and found him at Trolley Hill Park in the city's Queen Anne neighborhood.
A property manager cleaning out Webb's rented Queen Anne-area found his decomposed body in late June beneath boxes and a tarpaulin in a basement crawl space. An autopsy indicated he died from multiple sharp-force injuries.
Webb was last seen April 13, and Webb's sister filed a missing-person report in mid-May. 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.
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, 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.
White had not been assigned an attorney by Friday afternoon, the King County public defenders office said.
He remained held on $1 million bail, with arraignment scheduled for July 30. If convicted, he would face a standard sentencing range of 22 to nearly 29 years in prison.
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.
Webb was convicted of insurance fraud in February, sentenced to 240 hours of community service and fined $1,000.