Charges Upgraded Against Murder Suspects Two Accused In Slaying Of Waverly Couple Now Face Aggravated First-Degree Murder Charges

Prosecutors have upgraded charges against two men accused in the shotgun killings of a Waverly couple to aggravated first-degree murder, the only state charge punishable by death.

Cheyenne Brown and K.C. Therriault originally were charged with first-degree murder, which carries a sentence of 20 years to life in prison.

Spokane County Prosecutor Jim Sweetser said Wednesday evidence in the slayings of Allen and Trudy Mattausch meets the requirements for the harsher charge: There were multiple victims and a “common scheme or plan” to kill them.

Sweetser said he hasn’t decided whether he will seek the death penalty against Brown, 20, and Therriault, 19. He said he will talk to his own staff, other prosecutors, defense attorneys and appeals lawyers before making a decision.

“It isn’t done lightly,” Sweetser said.

If he doesn’t, Brown and Therriault would face life in prison without parole. They each are being held in the county jail in lieu of $1 million bail.

The men are accused of planning to murder the Mattauschs and carrying out that scheme before dawn last Thursday.

Detectives said the men had different reasons for wanting to kill the Mattauschs, who had allowed them to live in a trailer on their rural southern Spokane County ranch and perform chores for room and board.

Brown was angry that the Mattauschs reported him for stealing their truck last October. He served 60 days in jail and was ordered to pay $640 in restitution after pleading guilty to the crime.

The Mattauschs agreed to let him work off the debt at their ranch, but he was still angry, according to court records.

Therriault “indicated he felt both the Mattauschs had made joking comments about him, and it angered him, and between the two of them, they agreed they would kill both Allen and Gertrude Mattausch …,” detectives said in court records.

The men told authorities they got shotguns and ammunition from inside the Mattausch home, sneaked into the couple’s bedroom and shot them each in the head while they slept.

Therriault shot Trudy Mattausch once, according to investigators, and Brown fired once at each victim.

A Spokane police officer pulled the pair over near Mission Park a few hours after the killings. They were driving the Mattauschs’ Ford pickup and had the guns used in the murders inside the truck, records state.

The funeral for the Mattauschs, who were both in their 60s, will be held today. It begins at 10 a.m. at the Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral, 1115 W. Riverside.

, DataTimes