PORT ANGELES — Trial dates have been set for two people accused of helping John Francis Loring cover up the February murders he was suspected of committing before he killed himself.
Clallam County Superior Court Judge S. Brooke Taylor on Friday set a June 4 trial date for Thomas Lee Dale and a June 18 trial date for Tami Michelle Petersen.
Dale, 38, of Port Angeles and Petersen, 40, of Agnew are charged with first-degree rendering criminal assistance to Loring.
Both pleaded not guilty at their Friday arraignments.
Dale is being held in the Clallam County jail on $35,000 bail.
Petersen posted a $25,000 bail bond Tuesday.
Judge Taylor scheduled pretrial status hearings for Dale and Petersen on May 4 and May 10, respectively.
Clallam County sheriff’s investigators said Loring killed Raymond Varney, 68, of Diamond Point on or about Feb. 16 and David Randle, 19, of Dungeness on Feb. 21.
Loring, 45, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound as SWAT officers closed in on him in a west Port Angeles apartment the morning of Feb. 22.
Dale and Petersen are accused of hindering or delaying Loring’s apprehension, charging papers said.
Petersen also is charged with second-degree theft and three counts of forgery for allegedly using Varney’s credit card and forging his signature to purchase $124.55 worth of items at a Carlsborg gas station and Sequim liquor store.
Taylor denied defense attorney Harry Gasnick’s motions to challenge probable cause in both cases.
Gasnick on Monday said the sworn testimony of the sheriff’s investigators was insufficient to establish probable cause.
“I have found, and do find, that it is sufficient and deny the challenge to probable cause,” Taylor said.
Port Angeles attorney Ralph Anderson told the court that he will handle Dale’s case.
Gasnick, head of Clallam Public Defender, will keep the Petersen case.
Authorities allege that after Loring killed Varney, he fatally shot Randle and drove away in Varney’s pickup.
Witnesses said Randle attempted to block Loring from entering the house to protect his mother.
According to the certification of probable cause, Petersen received a phone call from a man saying Loring had shot and killed Randle.
Petersen allegedly relayed the information to Dale and Loring and told them Loring had to leave her property.
Investigators said Dale drove Loring to Port Angeles and returned to help Petersen move Varney’s pickup to a rural location about 3 miles south of her home.
In both cases, said Deputy James McLaughlin in his report, Petersen and Dale knowingly moved or concealed evidence that was involved in a crime, knowing their actions would “hinder or delay” the apprehension of Loring and the discovery of the pickup.
First-degree rendering criminal assistance, second-degree theft and forgery are each Class C felonies punishable by a maximum of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
