Motel murderer pleads guilty, will serve time for manslaughter
The man accused of killing Brookside Motel manager Ken Wolfe in February will serve time for Second Degree Manslaughter, following his Alford Plea Wednesday.
Jesse Allyn Bullington, 30, of Camano Island, entered an Alford Plea, which means that he maintained innocence but recognized that a jury would probably convict him. An Alford plea is treated as a guilty plea by the courts.
Bullington killed Wolfe the morning of Tuesday, Feb 26 during an argument that ensued over complaints of barking dogs.
Police received a call reporting an assault at 1:01 a.m. Tuesday from a woman at the Brookside Motel, reporting that a tenant of the motel, Jesse Allyn Bullington, was involved in a physical altercation with her husband, motel night manager Ken Wolfe.
When police arrived, Ken Wolfe, 46, was unconscious outside the motel. He was not breathing well and was bleeding from the back of his head. Medics transported Wolfe to Harborview Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:24 a.m.
Bullington, 30, had been staying at the Brookside Motel in room six for about two months. The night of the assault, he had argued with Wolfe over loud barking dogs. He was evicted following the argument, whereupon he argued about a refund. The argument, which took place in the office and in his room, eventually moved outside.
Witnesses reported that Bullington and Wolfe squared off in the parking lot and then Bullington hit Wolfe with a single uppercut to the jaw. Wolfe, who never raised his hands, according to the witnesses, fell backward and struck his head on the asphalt of the parking lot.
The punch was fatal. Bullington fled but later turned himself in.
Prosecutor Tobin Darrow said that he will ask the judge for an exceptional sentence, because Bullington has a criminal history in the state of Nebraska.
There, in 1998 and 1999, he was convicted of making terrorist threats, of theft, and attempted burglary, of criminal mischief and of second-degree assualt.
“The standard sentencing range for Second Degree Manslaughter, is clearly too lenient,” said Darrow. “It calls for 21-27 months.”
Darrow will ask the judge to sentence Bullington to about four years in prison. Bullington’s attorney will ask for a lower sentence of 21 months.
Bullington, who claimed that he struck Wolfe in self defense because he himself expected to get hit, will be sentenced Aug. 7.
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