Tacoma man sentenced in decades-old murder case
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TACOMA, Wash. -- It's taken more than 22 years, but Kathleen Graham's grieving family says it finally has justice.
On Friday, a man who admitted his role in Graham's murder was sentenced.
Graham raised five children, and they were all young adults when gunfire took their 47-year-old mother from them.
"My mother was probably the happiest person. When she walked into a room, she was very energetic. I know it's in me," said one of Graham's children, Danny Rubert.
Graham was a typical suburban mom who worked at Sears and volunteered in her community. So her 1989 murder in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood came out of nowhere. In the late 1980s, Hilltop was teeming with gang activity and drug dealers often worked out in the open.
Graham's family can't figure out why she was in such a dangerous neighborhood, and they can't figure out why a then 16-year-old Dontese White would reach into a car and shoot her to death.
"I just began screaming like I've never screamed before in my life. I died, I died," said Graham's daughter, Kathleen Sutherland.
Despite the more than two decades that have passed since the murder, Graham's family is still dealing with the pain of her loss.
"I'm happy this is going to come to an end and we can all find justice," said Pamela Heck, Graham's granddaughter.
It took a while, but detectives were finally able to come up with enough evidence for a conviction. White eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which comes with a maximum five-year sentence.
Graham's kids and grandchildren feel that penalty isn't nearly enough.
"Five years, you guys, five freaking years," Heck said. "You deserve a lot more than that, Dontese."
White didn't speak during sentencing. Graham's family said it's too bad he wasn't convicted when the crime happened, because three years later he killed another person in a gang shooting. He served 18 years in prison for that murder, and now he's heading back.
On Friday, a man who admitted his role in Graham's murder was sentenced.
Graham raised five children, and they were all young adults when gunfire took their 47-year-old mother from them.
"My mother was probably the happiest person. When she walked into a room, she was very energetic. I know it's in me," said one of Graham's children, Danny Rubert.
Graham was a typical suburban mom who worked at Sears and volunteered in her community. So her 1989 murder in Tacoma's Hilltop neighborhood came out of nowhere. In the late 1980s, Hilltop was teeming with gang activity and drug dealers often worked out in the open.
Graham's family can't figure out why she was in such a dangerous neighborhood, and they can't figure out why a then 16-year-old Dontese White would reach into a car and shoot her to death.
"I just began screaming like I've never screamed before in my life. I died, I died," said Graham's daughter, Kathleen Sutherland.
Despite the more than two decades that have passed since the murder, Graham's family is still dealing with the pain of her loss.
"I'm happy this is going to come to an end and we can all find justice," said Pamela Heck, Graham's granddaughter.
It took a while, but detectives were finally able to come up with enough evidence for a conviction. White eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter, which comes with a maximum five-year sentence.
Graham's kids and grandchildren feel that penalty isn't nearly enough.
"Five years, you guys, five freaking years," Heck said. "You deserve a lot more than that, Dontese."
White didn't speak during sentencing. Graham's family said it's too bad he wasn't convicted when the crime happened, because three years later he killed another person in a gang shooting. He served 18 years in prison for that murder, and now he's heading back.
SOMETHING IS REALLY WRONG WITH OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM....5 YEARS!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!
Five years for murder? Plea deal? What a joke! I believe in, "Let the punishment fit the crime". He should be executed right after being found guilty beyond reasonable doubt. As all murderers should be. If we executed all on death row, our crime rates wouldn't be going through the roof, they would probably lower, and tax-payers expense would drop tremendously as well. They don't deserve to live. I don't believe in that  "cruel and unusual" argument that I hear about. It's a joke. Â
Five years IS not enough but his life isn't over yet and who knows what the future holds for Dontese. I pray that he falls to his knees in remorse when he realizes who he killed whether he planned to kill someone that night or not. I do know that the driver did not know how to drive a stick shift so maybe when he saw the gun he got scared and started pulling away and it jerked the car and the gun went off. That's the story I've told myself for twenty-two years because I just can't comprehend a sixteen year old pulling the trigger on my sweet little momma.
Only 5 freakin years? Are you freakin kidding me? This is a joke. This monster should be put away for good. Seems like murderers these days get off WAY too easily.
Hello everyone. Five years? I agree, that should be a life sentece. The gang-bangers have been gaining immunty since our political system has been overrun with bleedng heart liberals and a socialist, marxist thug in the Oval office. This was a gun crime. The shooter should never regain freedom. Pierce County is corrupt!Â
 @Suspishissofu Plea deal and immunity are very different. I agree this seems like too light of a sentence, but you're blowing it out of proportion to an extent, and demonizing the liberals, which made me roll my eyes despite agreeing that this guy needs more time in prison. The rest of his life seems fair. My godless bleeding heart doesn't bleed for criminals.
5 years for manslaughter. Â Even with just he facts in the story I can't believe it... Â The DA must have been in one hell of a hurry to cut this deal or there must have been other reasons for this in the plea.Â
 @teahater seems likely the plea deal was offered because the evidence was old and the prosecutor knew there was a chance he wouldn't win on a different charge.
So sticking a gun into a car window and murdering someone is now "manslaughter"?
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This ridiculous sentence is an insult not only to the victim and her family but to all of us who abide by the laws.
 @Willow no- manslaughter is the plea deal they worked out, likely due to the case being several decades old.
Is there something missing from this story? Why in the world would the prosecutor "deal" for only a five year manslaughter for a man who has already served time for murder? Even with little evidence, five years for a convicted murderer who is even associated with another murder seems low.... we got drug addicts with possession going down for five and ten - doesn't seem to fit.
 @cdc Look at the bright side...it could have been bargained down to JayWalking4.......
 @Big Don  @cdc no, it couldn't have.
 @two loons  @cdc OK then, misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct.....
Two illustrations of a failed society, gangsters in the 80s selling dope & murdering women and Judges that cant be trusted to protect those women. I think its way past high time to create a vigilante committee to administer law and order our own selves wherever and whenever we consider governmental structures to be inadequate.
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I should put an add in the paper as to location and time to hold a meeting and create this thing and get it going.
 @T_BONE_WALKER I prefer we put that energy into reforming the laws we have. No wild west shoot 'em up for me.
If they had enough evidence for a conviction why on earth not take this to trial? 5 years for murdering an innocent women and 3 years later he murders someone else and serves 18 years for that one!!!  Im glad the family has closer, but 5 years, come on!!!
It actually sounds like they had enough circumstantial evidence to go to trial, but not enough to assure a conviction. Both sides are in a position to gamble. He likely blinked first and they did a plea bargain. Sometimes it is the only way to close the case for sure. At the same time, 5 years? No it does not seem enough. Â
 @oldster70 Article says (although articles have been known to be wrong before), that they had enough evidence to convict. :(
If they have enough evidence for a conviction, WHY ON EARTH would he have been allowed to plead to a sentence with a five year maximum???