Man Pleads Innocent In Double Stabbing

Sat., Jan. 3, 1998

From Staff And Wire Reports

Chad Walton pleaded innocent Friday to two counts of aggravated murder in the stabbing deaths of an Arlington man and his son.

Snohomish County prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether to seek the death penalty. Prosecutors Dave Kurtz said it is under consideration.

Walton, 19, is being held in jail without bail. He is accused of killing his friend, 17-year-old Westley Joyce, and Joyce’s father, Herbert, 54, last month during a robbery.

Sheriff’s deputies say Walton was a neighbor of the Joyces and had been invited into their home shortly before Christmas. Investigators believe the Joyces were killed after an argument over drugs, sheriff’s spokeswoman Jan Jorgensen has said.

Deputies found the victims’ bodies Dec. 26 after the victims failed to show up for a family gathering. Investigators found 40 to 50 marijuana plants growing in a shed on the property, Jorgensen said.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.