Suspect in killing of Seattle radio host pleads not guilty
SEATTLE - The man accused of killing former radio talk show host Mike Webb pleaded not guilty Monday morning to first-degree murder.
Scott Brian White is being held at the King County Jail on $1 million bail.
Prosecutors say White, 28, rose from bed on the pretext of having a cigarette, but then grabbed an ax and bludgeoned Webb.
Charging documents 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 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, 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.
White was arrested night after police received information and found him at Trolley Hill Park in the city'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, 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 is being held at the King County Jail on $1 million bail.
Prosecutors say White, 28, rose from bed on the pretext of having a cigarette, but then grabbed an ax and bludgeoned Webb.
Charging documents 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 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, 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.
White was arrested night after police received information and found him at Trolley Hill Park in the city'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, 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.