Father Guilty in Slaying of Girl’s Alleged Abusers
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LEWISTON, Ida. — In a case cast as a tale of frontier justice, a man was convicted of murdering a couple who he claimed had sexually tortured his teen-age daughter.
The jury deliberated 10 hours before convicting Kenneth Arrasmith, a 44-year-old trucker and former sheriff’s deputy from Sunnyside, Wash., on Wednesday.
He faces life in prison at his Feb. 26 sentencing. Prosecutors said they won’t seek the death penalty.
Arrasmith shot Ronald and Luella Bingham to death May 17. He contended that they had drugged and abused his daughter, now 16, while she was living with her boyfriend next door.
Asotin County, Wash., authorities investigated the abuse allegations but made no arrests.
Defense attorneys argued that the Binghams had threatened Arrasmith and that he acted in self-defense and in defense of his daughter.
Arrasmith testified he didn’t intend to kill the Binghams but hoped to get them to confess.
Arrasmith shot the couple more than 23 times, prosecutors said.
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