Michelle Thornton murder sexually assaulted by Gary B. Wade in Belltown apartment
Guilty verdict in Belltown's strangulation murder
A 42-year-old Seattle man was accused of murdering a woman in her Belltown apartment in December 2010.
A jury of the King County Supreme Court found Gary Wade, 42, guilty of second-degree murder for the killing of Michelle Thornton, who was found dead in her Belltown apartment closet on Jan. 6, 2011, after her family declared her missing.
The jury reached its decision Wednesday after a day-and-a-half deliberation.
Evidence indicated a struggle at the scene and that Thornton was sexually assaulted, investigators said. The medical examiner found Thornton, 43, strangled to death.
Footage from building surveillance cameras, fingerprints and DNA evidence led police investigators to Wade, a convicted felon. Arrested on Feb. 26, 2011.
When questioned by police, Wade admitted he knew Thornton, sometimes selling her drugs. He originally claimed he had last seen her before Christmas 2010; however when police approached him with evidence, he said "when he last saw Ms. Thornton, she was dead and that he had placed her in her closet," according to court records.
Last saw Thornton alive on Dec. 29, 2010, when she last used her debit card. Records show she made a call on Dec. 30 but failed to register the same day. Her family reported missing on January 4, 2011.
Attorneys said Wade has a long criminal background in many states like Florida, Georgia, and Utah. He was also convicted in Washington State of making false or misleading claims to a public official and possessing cocaine.
Wade will face a 154-254-month prison term. There is no sentencing hearing yet.
"Michelle Thornton was murdered in her own apartment by a killer who tried very hard to cover his tracks," said King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg. "Thanks to diligent police work by Seattle police detectives and skillful prosecution, we were able to identify her killer and hold him accountable."