Judge gives 37-year sentence for toddler's murder, wishes it was more
CHEHALIS, Wash. - A 25-year-old Centralia man was sentenced to a minimum of 37 years in prison Wednesday for the rape and murder of his girlfriend's 2-year-old daughter.
In an Alford plea agreement in January, James Reeder did not admit guilt but acknowledged that he would likely be convicted in the death last May of Koralynn Fister.
The judge handling the case said Reeder deserves to spend more time in prison, but he was limited by sentencing rules.
Prosecutors said before Koralynn's death, Reeder repeatedly raped the child and hurt her so badly that patches of skin were missing from her body and her toes, according to court documents.
"I won't go into graphic detail, but suffice it to say that in my entire legal career, this is the worst case of child abuse and neglect I have seen," Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said in an interview in the days following Koralynn's death.
According to prosecutors, Reeder called 911 to report the toddler wasn't breathing, and when medics arrived, they found Reeder performing CPR on Koralynn, who was unconscious. Reeder told police he had been giving the girl a bath when he left the room to grab a towel. He said that when he returned to the bathroom, Koralynn was underwater, facedown and unconscious.
Koralynn was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead a short time later.
During the sentencing hearing in Lewis County Superior Court, Koralynn's grieving family members had their statements read to Judge James Lawler by a member of a victim's advocacy group.
"You took both precious gifts of God away from me," Koralynn's mother wrote. "You betrayed everyone's trust but most of all my little defenseless baby. Pretending to help me and all the while using my beloved daughter for your own evilness."
Koralynn's father wrote that life has been hard to live without his baby girl.
"I feel that nothing short of life behind bars is enough for James Reeder," his statement read. "He took the life of Kora and ruined the life of many more. I think James Reeder is a sick man, if you can call him a man... Life will never be the same."
Koralynn's grandfather wrote that going from seeing her several times a week to never seeing her again has left a hole in his heart that is impossible to repair:
"There will be no first day of school, no prom, no graduation or college, no wedding or babies for Kora because you, James Reeder, took her life in a way that can only be described as perverted, disgusting and depraved."
In the end, the judge accepted the sentencing request from county prosecutors.
"This case is extraordinarily difficult for everybody. There are a lot of victims in this case -- more than just Koralynn Fister," Lawler said. "The sentence that I am imposing is at the top end of the standard range. This case, if I had discretion, called for a much higher sentence but I don't have that discretion in this case."
Lawler added had the case gone to trial and a jury found Reeder guilty with aggravating factors, he would have imposed a 100-year prison sentence.
"I wish I wasn't limited by this statute. I wish I wasn't limited by these charges," he said.
"The fact that you have not accepted any responsibility for any of these actions tells me that a sentence much longer than you are getting would be appropriate. Those are the reasons I am imposing the sentence that I am. I hope that everybody in this courtroom can eventually find some peace and heal; I know that is going to be a long time coming."
In an Alford plea agreement in January, James Reeder did not admit guilt but acknowledged that he would likely be convicted in the death last May of Koralynn Fister.
The judge handling the case said Reeder deserves to spend more time in prison, but he was limited by sentencing rules.
Prosecutors said before Koralynn's death, Reeder repeatedly raped the child and hurt her so badly that patches of skin were missing from her body and her toes, according to court documents.
"I won't go into graphic detail, but suffice it to say that in my entire legal career, this is the worst case of child abuse and neglect I have seen," Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said in an interview in the days following Koralynn's death.
According to prosecutors, Reeder called 911 to report the toddler wasn't breathing, and when medics arrived, they found Reeder performing CPR on Koralynn, who was unconscious. Reeder told police he had been giving the girl a bath when he left the room to grab a towel. He said that when he returned to the bathroom, Koralynn was underwater, facedown and unconscious.
Koralynn was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead a short time later.
During the sentencing hearing in Lewis County Superior Court, Koralynn's grieving family members had their statements read to Judge James Lawler by a member of a victim's advocacy group.
"You took both precious gifts of God away from me," Koralynn's mother wrote. "You betrayed everyone's trust but most of all my little defenseless baby. Pretending to help me and all the while using my beloved daughter for your own evilness."
Koralynn's father wrote that life has been hard to live without his baby girl.
"I feel that nothing short of life behind bars is enough for James Reeder," his statement read. "He took the life of Kora and ruined the life of many more. I think James Reeder is a sick man, if you can call him a man... Life will never be the same."
Koralynn's grandfather wrote that going from seeing her several times a week to never seeing her again has left a hole in his heart that is impossible to repair:
"There will be no first day of school, no prom, no graduation or college, no wedding or babies for Kora because you, James Reeder, took her life in a way that can only be described as perverted, disgusting and depraved."
In the end, the judge accepted the sentencing request from county prosecutors.
"This case is extraordinarily difficult for everybody. There are a lot of victims in this case -- more than just Koralynn Fister," Lawler said. "The sentence that I am imposing is at the top end of the standard range. This case, if I had discretion, called for a much higher sentence but I don't have that discretion in this case."
Lawler added had the case gone to trial and a jury found Reeder guilty with aggravating factors, he would have imposed a 100-year prison sentence.
"I wish I wasn't limited by this statute. I wish I wasn't limited by these charges," he said.
"The fact that you have not accepted any responsibility for any of these actions tells me that a sentence much longer than you are getting would be appropriate. Those are the reasons I am imposing the sentence that I am. I hope that everybody in this courtroom can eventually find some peace and heal; I know that is going to be a long time coming."
He's from Centralia. Practically a ghost town where fire rises from underneath the Earth. I was under the impression nobody lived there anymore.
Kill him, that's the only thing that comes close to justice!  A firing squad would be perfect!
Pure evil, there is no other reason for this deviant to treat anyone, much less and innocent child so violently.
Why are my tax dollars supporting him? sigh. He should be given the needle. The mother should get life. http://www.nsopw.gov/en-US
I hope the people who blame liberal judges read this (you know who you are) and realize that this judge had his hands tied by the prosecutor. The judge himself says a jury verdict would have resulted in a 100 year sentence. Think about this before you ignorantly blame liberal judges next time.
What is wrong with the justice system in Washington State? Why are you afraid to actually try any cases? Â There is no way in hell anyone should be able to plea something so horrific and violent. Â Why did you offer that monster a plea deal? Â Is it budget cuts? If someone pleas that they'd likely be convicted, then try them in a full court, for the full charge. Â That should be a death penalty offense of aggravated murder. Â Â People get more time for stealing money.Â
@DT Thank the ACLU, and the lawyers who advocate "criminal rights".  Thank a society that rejects the idea that personal responsibility for ones actions is important. Thank the elected officials who appoint judges who believe prison without cable TV is "cruel and unusual punishment".  Next time you vote, vote for candidates who believe that people should be held accountable for their actions and their choices.Â
@lorenray - you are so right on that.  now they can have video teleconference visits with family members, send emails via kiosk, receive and send digital photos thru email, purchase mp3's through the kiosk, and some prisons will allow them to order out for pizza for good behavior.  WTF?  They are in prison, not summer camp.  Even after blowing through their appeals through the appellate court, they can now waste taxpayer money at the supreme court level.  what is even more frustrating is that they can also take college courses to get a degree in fields that they will more than likely not be able to get a job in because of their felony status, if and/or when they do get out of prison. Â
@DTÂ -- budget cuts? Â seriously?
@DT People want more and more from the government while they want to provide less and less revenue (taxes). Alford pleas are a way to save some money (we all love that, right?) while still holding the bad guys accountable. We can't have it both ways.
I think the general population in prison will take care of him. No matter what their crimes, child abusers and child murderers are considered to be the lowest life form, and worthy of destruction and hopefully death.Â
@Glen That's not true, actually. I know that people say that, but there is 'code of honor' in prison. Â
@DT@Glen Yes it is true. My wife was a LEO and my mother-in-law was a corrections officer and they can both attest to the violence often visited on child rapists. One of my degrees is a BS in Sociology with a minor in Ethnic Studies and Deviant Behavior and the empirical as well conjectural data supports it as well. Bad things happen to child rapists, so they are often kept in solitary.
@Missfitt @DT Snohomish has a separate wing for them. Too bad they are not with the general population. Â
@DTÂ - Â 'code of honor' ?? Â
Glen is right. Â thebigteacher is also right - especially when it comes to keeping them in solitary. Â If a prison does not have a special area to stick their sex offenders to keep them out of general population, they usually stick them in their own cell for 23 hours per day, with supervised 1 hour out time for an indefinite period of time. Â it isn't necessarily for the inmate's safety, it's for the safety of the guards and other prison employees. Â it's too bad that these specific types of inmates are being protected as much as they are in certain prisons.
Don't worry people, the life he is going to live in prison will be similar to the life he gave this little girl. I'm sure he will be beat/raped to death very slowly by the prisoners. Prison justice might be the last real justice we have...
They are going to love him in prison!
Wait a second this child was abused so bad to the point where she had patches of skin missing and was continually raped over and over again and the mother didn't notice any of this!! Did she never change her daughters diaper, did she never give her a bath or change her clothes. BS!!! I am so sick and tired of these mothers who after the person who abused their child goes to prison want to sit there and say "how could you do this to my baby". These stories disgust me and the mother is not innocent at all.
@tkyed I agree! I am also sick of these women jumping from one man to the next. This child was two years old and she was not with the father but already living with another guy? What is WRONG with people these days??
Wow, he is going to do some hard time. Chances are he will be stabbed by someone that was molested by his uncle.
Here you go, all you 'right to lifers', another one of life's 'miracles' at work... well a couple of them it seems. If there is ANY justice in this world, BOTH of these 'miracles' will be placed in general population, but they probably won't do it. For their OWN protection and all... Just sickening.
The mother could not have been in the dark. No way, nah ah. I don't buy it for a second. How can she expect sympathy. If you were even a decent mother you would absolutely notice signs. This poor baby had outward physical signs no less. Please! I hope her little soul comes back in a much better life.
@Thunder i have no sympathy for her what so ever and do believe she should have been held responsable for her daughters death...the poor lil girl had skin missing off her feet....wtf?
I would like to say, I know James Reeder this was an accident which yes he is taking responibility. but the rape and all that other horrible stuff was not him. the corner said it happened 4 to 6 hours before the death. Jimmy was a work. Where was the mother??????
@Stacey Richardson Why does all of this filthy garbage have equally filthy garbage creating accounts to defend its perverted torture of small children? Good boy, misunderstood, turning his life around, needs another chance, bad childhood, etc. etc.
Spare us the pathetic sniveling, and spare us justifying rape and torture of helpless toddlers. You are right down there on his level.Â
@Stacey Richardson How sick you are for even trying to justify this guys actions. You are the problem with the world today! Hope you sleep well knowing that little innocent girl will never get to enjoy her life because of some sick chimo that deserves to die. I bet you will visit him and put money on his prison account. DISGUSTING
@Stacey Richardson I know it's hard for some people to believe that a "friend" could be so evil, but the child had signs of ongoing abuse. It wasn't just one time.  Most people who do things like this would seem normal to their friends, because your'e not the one being abused.  I had friends in school who were routinely abused this way by their widowed father, an upstanding citizen.  We found out later it was happening all through our school years, and no one was the wiser.   Kind of stunning how weird America has gotten with the "don't judge" mentality.  I liked it better when good people would shun bad people based on their actions. Â
@Stacey Richardson What about the nieghbors I saw being interviewed right after this happened that said they heard the child screaming a lot when she was in his care!! How dare you defend this POS!!! Where you there??
@Stacey Richardson if he didnt rape or torture this little girl, then why didnt he plead not guilty???......pull your head out!!!Â
@Stacey Richardson An Alford Plea is not taking responsibility.Â
Maybe he was just turning his life around, maybe?Â
No one ever comes on here defending child rapists in their first KOMO comment. You're the first. Thanks for defending a child rapist and murderer.  We are so thankful for your input and we probably need CPS to look into YOUR situation.
@Stacey Richardson Of course, those other items on his rap sheet were.... what... not his fault?
this story breaks my heart...and i am appalled that her mother nor anyone else who spent time around the child didnt notice that  there was skin missing off of her feet and she had bruises on her body....we have to protect our children...and the children around us...
Fortunately, most cons hate rapists, and most hate child rapists, even more. This poor excuse for a human being will wish he had received a death penalty.
Just another reminder how far gone, how terribly depraved society has become. It seems as if everything under the sun is permissable now and when the depravity manifests into somthing as hanis as the rape and death of a small child society acts surprised. Stop gloryfying hedonism and you will stop seeing this sort of thing. God be with the family of this poor little victim of society today.
@Terri Oh please stop with that lame "oh society has become depraved" stuff.  I grew up in the 70s. In my childhood and teen years: My landlord was shot to death by two teens who wanted some tools on his truck.  A friend was abducted and raped and left for dead. Turns out one of my acquaintances was one of the most prolific serial killers in  history (lucky I never went with him when he kept asking me to meet him to take pics,) someone was stabbed to death at a party I attended in high school. I was attacked 2 times, and nearly attacked 2 more times. Friends in elementary school were routinely sexually abused by their father for years.  People have always committed crimes. This is not some new thing that is happening because we're "hedonistic." Can you explain the serial killers from 30 years ago that did this type of thing on a large scale?   "Society today."  Really?  Living in fear based on the the violent entertainment and carefully curated violent stories share with you in the news (even if they have no relevance or geographic or otherwise, to you life,) is more likely.  Â
Crime rates are way down from 10 years or so ago. Explain that.Â
@DT wow you knew a serial killer? i used to study that in college. People have always been eveil we just have more media now. Although I almost did a dissertation on girls and violence. that is new and was not in the 70s-80s.Â
37 years locked up with hundreds of men who know he raped and tortured a toddler. Good luck with that, a**hole.
@Jolly Prison has gotten soft they wont hurt this guy at all. There is so many chimos in prison that the news does not even print all the stories they make up most of the population. The State of Washington will feed/ house and make sure he has medical for his 37 year stay which is really only about 25 years that he will serve after his ERD. He should be hung the same day he was found guilty so tired of seeing these evil people breathing air.
@Jolly you guys do know that the idea that prisoners attack child abusers, is not reality, right? May have been decades ago, but people in prison don't have any honor code.Â
If you google- Koralynn Fister, case, you will see an article from badbreeders.com/Â This POS was the mothers boysfriend.
This website has a photo of Koralynn. She was a beautiful little girl. RIP baby.
@whatalife1 Reading that and finding out that neighbors heard this child crying and screaming at all hours, makes me sick. What has this world come to that we just ignore what is so blatantly obvious?Â
I remember when my mother worked for a major grocery store chain and right next to the store was row housing. One day out on her smoke break she heard the most horrific sounds, traced the sounds to the house, got the address and then returned to the store to call the police. According to the police report, they knocked on the door and when whoever inside didn't answer but they could still hear the screams, they broke down the door. It's a good thing my mother did that as the woman inside was beating on her 8 month old baby. Baby ended up dying because she was apparently beaten daily. Who does that? If you don't want your baby, find a nice couple that will.Â
I guess I don't understand why some men and women do this to children they claim to "love".Â
I can't even imagine, and really don't want to. Â This is horrifying and he should be punished far worse than this. Â Hopefully he will be punished in his dream and in every waking hour for the rest of his life. Â If I knew anyone in prison, I would call upon a favor. Hopefully someone does.
@komonews beyond horrifying. Grateful @TEARSFoundation is able to purchase the grave marker for this little angel. Rest in peace Koralynn <3
Her Grandfather visited with her several times a week and never noticed anything at all?
@Joy Johnson Her grandfather probably didn't change her diaper or her clothes thus he wouldn't see anything. Remember the report says that the skin was missing from her buttocks and toes. Diapers or panties plus socks = nothing to see.Â
@Joy Johnson I had the same thought reading that statement. How did he not see this was happening?
So what are these "sentencing rules" that so hindered this Judge from hitting this guy harder?
@Joy Johnson You have to read them. They are in the State criminal statutes of sentencing.
@ladylib1 @Joy Johnson Those things are like reading a recipe in Martian. Can you just spell out why this guy didn't get the death penalty, or at least life?
@Joy Johnson @ladylib1 I'm not sure, but I think it's hard to get a death penalty if not premeditated.Â
This is heartbreaking. He gave that child a death sentence. That should be what he got too. So, ok, prison population, you know what you have to do when this guy shows up....right?
Also:"Reeder repeatedly raped the child and hurt her so badly that patches of skin were missing from her body and her toes, according to court documents." ...................I think Mom needs to get checked out too. How does a child run around (if she was able with all this missing skin) and not have Mom or anyone see it? Surely this reaction doesn't take place in one afternoon?
This poor baby! If no one could save her from this horrible fate, she's better off now. I just wish we had a way to get these people BEFORE they've done all this evil!
@Joy Johnson I disagree not because I don't believe in the the death penalty but because that would be the easy way out for this scumbag. I hope that he is methodically tortured in prison even in the protective unit which is where he will be put. General population guys would kill him in a instant as they don't like "skinners" as they are called in prison.Â
@Joy Johnson I agree! Moms know everything about their kids, at least I do. It happens far too often...the single mom who quickly takes to a "fabulous" boyfriend who just "loves" her children. Open your eyes...