PORT TOWNSEND — The Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has until Aug. 14 to decide if prosecutors will pursue the death penalty in the murder trial of Michael J. Pierce.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Scott Rosekrans filed amended charging documents against Pierce, 34, of Quilcene, who is now facing two counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of Quilcene residents Patrick and Janice Yarr.
Pierce is also charged with six other felony charges in connection with the slayings of the Yarrs and the burning of their Boulton Farm Road home on March 18.
Pierce has pleaded not guilty on all counts and remains in Jefferson County jail in lieu of $250,000 bail.
A conviction on one of the aggravated murder charges carries a minimum sentence of life in prison and a maximum of the death penalty.
If the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office does not pursue the death penalty within 30 days from Friday, the maximum penalty would be a life sentence in prison.
Rosekrans said he made the call to increase the charges after receiving all of the investigative documents from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
“Early on we had the indications that it would reach this point,” Rosekrans said.
“But you don’t want to jump the gun on that type of a charge.
“Now that we have almost all of the discovery in, it’s clear that these are the charges we want to file.”
Pierce’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 14 at 8:30 a.m.
The Yarrs were found dead in their home at 780 Boulton Farm Road in Quilcene on March 19, the day after a fire destroyed the house.
Investigators said the Yarrs had not died from the fire — and that the flames were intentionally set.
No official cause of death has been released, but investigators said bullet casings were found on the ground near the bodies of the Yarrs.
Pierce is charged with two homicides, arson, robbery, burglary, theft of a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm and theft.
He was arrested on March 23 after he was identified by investigators from an image taken from a surveillance camera at an automatic teller machine at a Quilcene bank.
The camera allegedly recorded him using the Yarrs’ debit card minutes after the fire at their home began.
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
