Kennewick kidnap, murder suspect gets new lawyer 6 weeks before trial
An accused killer got a new attorney Friday because her original lawyer was just appointed to the Benton-Franklin Superior Court bench.
Theresa L. Wiltse, 50, said she had no problem with the change, or the fact it may delay her Oct. 2 trial.
However, Benton County Prosecutor Andy Miller said it’s disappointing because they’ve really been working hard to keep the date for the family of Sandra Harris.
“They certainly don’t want to go through Christmas with this hanging over their head,” Miller said.
Judge Cameron Mitchell said he appreciated Miller’s concerns for the family, but added, “There really isn’t much alternative in this situation.”
Defense attorney Sam Swanberg was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee last week to replace Judge Vic VanderSchoor, who is retiring in September. VanderSchoor also originally was assigned to preside over Wiltse’s case until it became official that he was leaving the bench.
Michael Prince, who recently took on a defense contract in Benton County, will take over for Swanberg. He will work with Caleb DiPeso on the case. The trial will be reset at another hearing.
Wiltse is charged with aggravated first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping.
A former state corrections officer, she allegedly took Harris from her Kennewick home on Nov. 18, shot her several times and left the 69-year-old grandmother’s body along a rural Benton County road.
Harris was retired after working for 40 years as head accountant with Boise Cascade.
Wiltse was arrested later that night and claimed she had accomplices in the kidnapping.
Randy Harris, a Kennewick pawn shop owner, has said he believes Wiltse “acted independently in this hideous crime.”
The last time he spoke to his wife was when she called that day to say she’d been kidnapped and the suspects wanted $250,000.
If convicted, she will spend the rest of her life in prison.
Kristin M. Kraemer: 509-582-1531, @KristinMKraemer
This story was originally published August 18, 2017 at 12:36 PM with the headline "Kennewick kidnap, murder suspect gets new lawyer 6 weeks before trial."