Prosecutors: Man killed daughter to spare grief from mom's murder
SPANAWAY, Wash. -- Prosecutors have filed aggravated first degree murder charges against a man they say murdered his wife and 11-year-old daughter Tuesday.
Dean Holmes, 40, pleaded not guilty Thursday and remains held in the Pierce County Jail.
The bodies of Holmes' wife Kristi and his daughter Violet were discovered after Holmes walked into the Pierce County Jail early Wednesday and said he fatally shot his wife and child. Pierce County Sheriff's Captain Ed Smith said deputies went to a home in the 15500 block of 20th Ave. Court East and found the bodies just before 5 a.m.
Prosecutors say Dean Holmes pulled a revolver from a dresser early Tuesday morning and shot his wife of 12 years four times as she was sleeping in their bed. Violet was sleeping with a friend in the living room and didn't hear the gunshots due to the sound of a fan running nearby.
After the shooting, Holmes reloaded, then woke the girls and drove them to drop the friend off at her home in Auburn, prosecutors said.
On his way home, Holmes pulled over and shot his daughter several times as she lay sleeping in the backseat, investigators said. He then drove to a fast food restaurant, and ordered food through the drive-thru with his dead daughter in the backseat.
He returned home and put Violet's body next to his wife's then got back in the car and drove around aimlessly, prosecutors said. He decided Wednesday morning to turn himself in, investigators said.
Holmes told investigators he had put his family in dire financial straits and he was afraid his wife would leave him when she found out he had been lying about their finances. Financial records with the Department of Revenue show Dean Holmes owed more than $18,000 in unpaid taxes. He was also being sued by the owners of a home in Puyallup for unfinished work as part of his home painting business.
Holmes told detectives killed his daughter because he reasoned that she would be unable to cope with her mother’s death and her father’s imprisonment, prosecutors said. He also told detectives that after he shot his wife and daughter, he wanted to also shoot himself and repeatedly placed the gun to his head, but he could not will himself to pull the trigger.
"It's absolutely horrendous, I can't even imagine," said Gerald McNulty, who was married to Holmes' sister. "From the time I've known him... he was just a great guy, nice man, kind soul.
"If you'd have known him before (August) 28, you would say all the things I'm saying. What put him in his place to do these horrible things, I have no idea."
Prosecutors say if Holmes is convicted of aggravated first degree murder, the only possible sentences are the death penalty or life in prison without parole. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 22.
Dean Holmes, 40, pleaded not guilty Thursday and remains held in the Pierce County Jail.
The bodies of Holmes' wife Kristi and his daughter Violet were discovered after Holmes walked into the Pierce County Jail early Wednesday and said he fatally shot his wife and child. Pierce County Sheriff's Captain Ed Smith said deputies went to a home in the 15500 block of 20th Ave. Court East and found the bodies just before 5 a.m.
Prosecutors say Dean Holmes pulled a revolver from a dresser early Tuesday morning and shot his wife of 12 years four times as she was sleeping in their bed. Violet was sleeping with a friend in the living room and didn't hear the gunshots due to the sound of a fan running nearby.
After the shooting, Holmes reloaded, then woke the girls and drove them to drop the friend off at her home in Auburn, prosecutors said.
On his way home, Holmes pulled over and shot his daughter several times as she lay sleeping in the backseat, investigators said. He then drove to a fast food restaurant, and ordered food through the drive-thru with his dead daughter in the backseat.
He returned home and put Violet's body next to his wife's then got back in the car and drove around aimlessly, prosecutors said. He decided Wednesday morning to turn himself in, investigators said.
Holmes told investigators he had put his family in dire financial straits and he was afraid his wife would leave him when she found out he had been lying about their finances. Financial records with the Department of Revenue show Dean Holmes owed more than $18,000 in unpaid taxes. He was also being sued by the owners of a home in Puyallup for unfinished work as part of his home painting business.
Holmes told detectives killed his daughter because he reasoned that she would be unable to cope with her mother’s death and her father’s imprisonment, prosecutors said. He also told detectives that after he shot his wife and daughter, he wanted to also shoot himself and repeatedly placed the gun to his head, but he could not will himself to pull the trigger.
"It's absolutely horrendous, I can't even imagine," said Gerald McNulty, who was married to Holmes' sister. "From the time I've known him... he was just a great guy, nice man, kind soul.
"If you'd have known him before (August) 28, you would say all the things I'm saying. What put him in his place to do these horrible things, I have no idea."
Prosecutors say if Holmes is convicted of aggravated first degree murder, the only possible sentences are the death penalty or life in prison without parole. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 22.
This is a horrible crime and the loss of two very amazing people. I think the general agreement is that his life should be ended. I hope that true justice is served for them and the family and he is sentenced to death.
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I would also like to let everyone know that there is a fund set up at all Heritage Bank locations in memory of Kristi and Violet. There are family members that have been left behind and need financial support in this horrible time of their lives. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE....Give a donation in memory of Kristi and Violet. You can go into any HERITAGE BANK location and simply ask to donate to the "Brooke Fund". All branches are able to make a deposit into this account. As a Heritage Bank employee I thank everyone in advance for your compassion and donations. God Bless you all...
No value whatsoever of life.
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That poor little girl who must have had all the trust in the world in her daddy. And he wakes her from a slumber party to kill her in cold blood?
so time to kill him. There is no need for him to continue breathing
Limited info, but he has freely confessed so I'm OK with them no longer using the vest on him to protect him. Maybe someone will save us all huge amounts of money and send him on his way.
Coward. He was able to will himself to pull the trigger on his wife and child but couldn't will himself to do it to himself. He should have started there.
What a heartbreaking story. These two family members killed for less than a $20k? There are a lot more people out there in worse shape and they do go around killing their own family members. Anyone who is in debt, please realize that it's not the end of the world. You'll make it through the tough times and look back and learn.Â
Wow this is so chilling.Â
This cretin needs to be put down immediately.Â
 @Reginald Edward SmytheÂ
I belive he would welcome that. sounds like it tried to do it himself but he couldnt will fully do it. making him live would be more punishable. Besides prison many terriable things could happen to him worse than death.
@Bizquick @Reginald Edward Smythe Yes , 100% right . provided he/it is place in general population. It would be a struggle to survive every day for him . Unfortunately he will be in protective custody , Forever 23 - 7 lock up one hour outside There is a code of conduct that all inmates adhere to # 1 Don't hurt children # 2 Don't hurt women No Exceptions He would be fair game and they would jealously fight over who gets to right this wrong in ways I can't even imagine. He had his chance to pull the trigger but only had the strength to kill his wife and daughter.
"he was afraid his wife would leave him" - so he sent her away PERMANENTLY!
"killed his daughter because he reasoned that she would be unable to cope with her motherâs death" - and he figured it would be easier to COPE WITH HER OWN DEATH???
This guy is a lying, cowardly, self-centered MORON without an ounce of human compassion or empathy and with only an incredible knack for absolutely outrageous self-justification! I'd say put him in a cell all by himself for the rest of his natural life, surrounded ONLY by photographs of the bodies of his wife an daughter - and maybe a few of the PEOPLE NOW MOURNING THEM! No TV, no books, no newspapers, no computer or games: just pictures of the pain he has caused others... and let him stew in it!
So this guy kills his wife and daughter over his poor business dealings?? WTH was he thinking? Gee let me think... I'll kill my wife, then my daughter because I just know she will never be able to cope with the loss of her mother... Yep..That work!! Oh, lest I forget, I will then take a trip through my local fast food joint and get myself a bite to eat.. All while my daughter lies dead in the back seat of my car.... Lets have a public hangin'
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My husband and myself hired Dean who came recommended by my co-worker as Dean painted all the homes in his neighborhood last summer 2011. He said his crew did a great job. Something happened between last summer and this past spring. We received the contract for cleaning roof & home, caulking and painting and told it would be done in 10 days which was supposed to start on 6-15-12. We made our down payment, however he called the am of the 15th of June and stated he was going to be with his family that day but would start on the 16th. His crew came and cleaned the roof and house then the next week caulked the home half way. After that Dean put us off & never did the painting job nor refunded our money. He texted me daily with excuses. When we asked for our refund he continued to text us with excuses. After investigating his history I was shocked at the warrants for unpaid taxes, one for $25,818.32 on 2-23-12 another for $18,260.64 on 5-4-12. This deceptive individual did the most horrendous crime and doesn't deserve to live. If he doesn't get the death penalty I will be shocked! WHAT A COWARD! May Kristi and Violet rest in peace. May Dean suffer for the horrendous crimes he committed!
Put the gun to his head several times but just couldn't pull the trigger. Hmmmm. There would be no problem finding someone to do the deed for you. What a coward.
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Didn't want daughter to deal with trauma of mother's murder and father's impriosnment. Hmmmm. I don't want to deal with having my tax money to provide you not only with a court-appointed lawyer, but (as they say ) 3 hots and a cot".
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He does not deserve to live. And dying is too good for him. Solitary confinement, in a dark room and no food or water and no contact with anyone. Just let him die. Kill your daughter because you don't want her to live with what you did?! Screw you ashhole.
When I met my hubby 17 years ago this was one of his best friends. Dean had a drinking problem back then and it would not surprise me if he didnt still. He was very persuasive in talking my hubby do things through peer pressure. The person I had known would be into himself and think of himself first. At the same time I agree what kind of person would do this. SERIOUSLY I dont condone suicide but do yourself in and spare your family and the family of your wife and child.
What a piece of crap!!!! Takes the daughters friend home, then goes to kill his daughter, on the way home gets food?? How the hell did no one notice the dead girl in the back of the car then?? He should have put the gun to his when he had the chance. What a selfish loser...
 @shorty_thebest There are several possibilities that could have prevented the people at the fast food restaurant from seeing his daughter dead in the back seat, here are a few just off the top of my head:
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1. It was dark.
2. The vehicle he was driving had tinted windows.
3. He may have covered her up so they didn't see her.
4. She may not have been laying in such a position that they were able to see her injuries and simply thought he had a sleeping child in his back seat.
5. They may not have even looked in the back seat while handing him his food.
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If you wanted to spare your daughter from the grief of her mother's murder, then you probably shouldn't have murdered her mother.Â
I simply can not fathom it, This Thing has reasoned that he could not handle the pain of his wife leaving him ,so he kills her and his innocent little daughter. to avoid what??? Let me tell you this guy will wish he pulled the trigger when he had the chance . He will experience a new and unimaginable kind of pain in jail , and after they find him dead ( we hope) . He will have to endure the endless pain of hell . Please put this guy in general population , they love these guys to death.
 @realdeal No kidding.  Maybe they should give him some Kevlar boxers.
I so hope there is a special place in hell for this guy. I cant even think straight to type what I would like to have done to this man......So he kills his wife and child over HIS stupidity, cowardice, and endless financial mistakes? So she wont leave him?????   Oh my F******* God, here is someone that is still not standing up and admitting to his own actions. Dont have a trial for this POS, give him a gun and force him to pull the trigger.  Rot in Hell you maggot.
I am lost for words. This guy is a coward.Â
Got Married March 24, 2012 51 Lori Stephenson likes this. Doug Anderson party on dude March 29 at 9:02am Dean Holmes thanks bro im glad we worked it out to March 29 at 2:50pm Dean Holmes we have to come up there sometime and see james too etc March 29 at 2:54pm Doug Anderson That would be fun. My folks live 8 blocks from us too..... March 29 at 7:13pm Doug Anderson I will have the strawberry Mad Dog on ice................ March 29 at 7:14pm
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This on his Timeline on FB. So very sad .Â
 @LovingLife Married 8 months ago? So was daughter his, or hers? Many things still unknown about this...
 @LovingLife Article states he shot his "wife of 12 years". That seems to make more sense.Â
 @boeman  @LovingLife I am thinking him changing his Timeline on Facebook to "being married on March 29th ,2012 " being the date they musat have recently made up as he states on the comments in timeline"Dean Holmes thanks bro im glad we worked it out to March 29 at 2:50pm Â
Any volunteers to put the gun to his head and pull the trigger for him?
 @Tim Lane I bet there are so many people who would like that opportunity that you would have to have a drawing.Â
I think most parents would rather take their own lives than one of their children. I can't even wrap my head around doing harm to one of my kids. What a pathetic human being he is.
For the life of me, I'll never understand how you can commit a crime, turn yourself in, admit what you have done to LE, and then go to court and plead not guilty. Judges should not allow a not guilty plea, there should be some other plea, but not guilty makes no sense at all.
 @boeman Drag it out, keep your 3 hots and a cot and in solitary for your "protection". Sounds cushy for a murderer. Now we'll likely have to pay to keep him fed and protected for the rest of his life.
 @boeman Thats what I was thinking. Makes no sense. But I guess you must get a lighter sentence or something.Â
Hell likely has a special circle for the likes of him.
He shot his wife because he was afraid she'd leave him!!! So killing her was a solution to this how??? Killed his daughter so she would not have to deal with the loss of her mother!!! Here is a clue you worthless piece of garbage, you should have just killed yourself, then you wouldn't have to worry about your wife leaving you or your daughter having to deal with the loss of her mom. Instead you put way more value on the importance of your own life than than the lives of your wife and daughter, my bet, their lives were far more valuable than yours! You coward! You are nothing more than a walking piece of excrement, wait, that is an insult to excrement!
 @alaska_dreamin Yup, what you said. You took the words right out of my mouth.Â
Didn't have the will to shoot yourself, eh, but you sure as heck didn't have a problem shooting your wife and little girl. I'll say it again, you are an effing COWARD and I hope you are traumatized every day of the rest of your life for what you have done.
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On another note, after he shot his daughter he went through a fast food drive thru with his deceased daughter in the backseat. Did they not notice anything wrong? I mean, what the eff.
 @Tattooed_Angel If it was dark enough out or the vehicle had tinted windows, they may not have seen her.
What a piece of crap! Â Why didnt he just put the gun on himself and let those 2 poor people live! Â Throw him away for good!Â
What a thoughtful dad. He didn't kill his own flesh and blood because he a killer but he did it out of thoughtfulness and to spare his daughter from the coming sadness when she learns he killed her mom. Good thing I'm not the judge and jury. The minute he confessed I'd have given him the needle. As it sits the 9th circuit will make sure he never gets his just desserts. He'll be playin' B ball with the homies in a few months.
 @lin The needle? I think we should bring back "the chair" just for this guy!!!!
Well then just put the a hole down! If he killed his daughter to save her from the agony of her mother, then he should do the same to himself to spare us from the time and court costs! Not to mention sparing the family from all that as well!
welllllll, how kind and considerate ! ! ! Spare her grief by shooting her dead ? What a freaking cowardly scumbag !
the only possible sentence is the death penalty-
 @izwideopen It would be nice to fast track a trial like this to save taxpayer dollars on the inevitable and fruitless appeals.
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Cases like these would be well served by "Old West Justice".
Why is he still breathing? He was the problem, should have taken himself out. Hope he gets snuffed in prison.
 @NWlife Is someone starting a collection to arrange that? This guy doesn't deserve to breath air let alone sit all comfy in a cell with all his needs met. So he has to play girlfriend to some big con, so what! I think the ancient Romans had it right, stick them down in the bottom of a dungeon and the day they don't see the bread & water disappear is the day they clean out the cell!!!
"he wanted to also shoot himself and repeatedly placed the gun to his head, but he could not will himself to pull the trigger"
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Aww, just couldn't do it huh? You're life is too valuable to end? C'mere buddy, I'll take care of that little detail for you, no problem!
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 @Jill Took the words right out of my mouth! I've never shot a gun before, but I wouldn't have any trouble with this! Sick part is, he's probably going to claim insanity and wind up doing a couple years in a mental ward. Our justice system can be so infuriating sometimes! Then again, if he does get death, he can appeal it until he collects social security. Plus he gets out of spousal support and child support in one day! So, really, when you stop and think about it, this is a win-win for this guy all the way around, stupid creep! Ooooo, if I wasn't a lady......I'd.....!!!
WOW, so is she supposed to feel grateful to you? Â What kind of sick bastard are you?
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 @CIAassassin I agree.  Not only that, there re also some serious flaws in his brain too.  All the things he said about why he killed his wife and daughter dont make any sense!  Â
 @CIAassassin  @CovertAgent Sounds spot on to me! I can't imagine what 12 years of marriage must have been like for his wife? Eventually all lies surface. Once a liar, always a liar. There's probably a lot more here too that hasn't been dug up. This guy sounds like a real psychopath!Â