For the family of Joseph LaMar, Nov. 17 will mark the day when justice was finally served.
“We can breathe now,” Abia Nunn, LaMar’s sister, said on the steps of the Clark County Courthouse Friday morning following an unanimous jury verdict finding Brent Luyster the killer of LaMar and two others, among additional charges.
Luyster, 37, was found guilty of six charges in total, three for first-degree aggravated murder, one for attempted murder and two firearms-related charges. He faces life in prison without the possibility of parole following his sentencing Dec. 4.
Nunn, along with LaMar’s mother, Danette Anderson, talked to the media shortly after the verdict was handed down following a three-week trial. Starting Oct. 31, the case was to determine whether or not Luyster committed three murders and attempted a fourth at a Woodland residence July 15, 2016.
Along with LaMar, 38, LaMar’s partner, Janell Renee Knight, 43, and Zachary David Thompson, 36, were also left dead at LaMar’s home southeast of Woodland. Breanne Leigh, Thompson’s partner, was wounded but escaped.
According to evidence, the shooting occurred around 10 p.m. that night. Previous to arriving at LaMar’s, Luyster, Thompson and Leigh were at a gathering in Vancouver. Eventually they headed to LaMar’s, where later Luyster’s girlfriend, Andrea Sibley, arrived with her and Luyster’s 2-year-old son and Luyster’s 12-year-old son.
The prosecution focused on the limited forensic evidence — fingerprints on a beer can, DNA evidence left on a cigarette butt and shattered auto glass from the altercation. The defense argued that there wasn’t enough to conclusively prove Luyster’s guilt, though the prosecution argued with phone records and other testimony it was enough to put him at the scene.
Deputy prosecutor Laurel Smith talked about what Luyster’s mindset was the day of the murders. She mentioned that he had recently learned that a pending case in Cowlitz County might be picked up by federal law enforcement officials.
“This information haunts him throughout the day,” Smith said.
At the scene, LaMar and Thompson’s bodies were found outside the front of the house, and Knight’s was inside. Luyster was picked up with Sibley the following afternoon west of Longview.
Sibley was a key witness in the case, though in her testimony she denied witnessing any of the killings, instead saying she was in her vehicle and not paying attention outside. The prosecution argued that Sibley was complicit in aiding Luyster’s escape by driving him away from the crime scene because she was afraid of what Luyster could do to her.
The defense argued that because she refused to buy Luyster beer and insisted on driving when Luyster was intoxicated, it showed she still had some agency.
Leigh was another key witness, as after she was shot she was left for dead. After gathering the strength to seek help, she drove to a nearby AM/PM convenience store where she was able to contact help, both for herself and her gunshot wound and for Knight, who she did not know was dead.
The prosecution argued that Leigh was able to identify Luyster at the convenience store when prompted. As she couldn’t speak given her injury, she had written on a piece of paper when asked who shot her, identifying Luyster.
The defense argued that given a track record of less-than-stellar interactions with the cops — Luyster had a rap sheet dating back decades — law enforcement were more concerned with actively searching for Luyster than trying to find a suspect.
They also doubted Leigh’s accuracy, noting that some police records show she didn’t know who shot her. Leigh herself was adamant that Luyster was her shooter both in and out of court.
Intoxication was a big part of the defense’s argument, as Luyster’s defense attorney Steve Rucker questioned whether or not an intoxicated Luyster would be able to kill LaMar and Thompson in a short time.
The prosecution’s rebuttal noted while they all were intoxicated, and Luyster was not so far gone he couldn’t have maneuvered.
According to Luyster’s story, he discovered the news the following day on television, at which point during the testimony he appeared to shed tears. Fellow deputy prosecutor James Smith called them “crocodile tears” during a closing rebuttal, adding that the only regret Luyster had is that he didn’t kill Leigh.
In order to prove aggravating circumstances that would lead to a life sentence without parole, the jury had to find a connection between each of the killings. Smith argued that after shooting Thompson and LaMar, he had the chance to stop, but by going in the house to shoot Leigh and Knight showed a clear scheme.
The jury appeared to agree with the prosecution in this case.
During jury deliberations, Luyster shaved his head, revealing the lightning bolt SS insignia associated the white supremacist movements. During a jury question when he was called in (though the jury was still in their deliberation chambers) a short-sleeved shirt revealed more of his tattoos with a similar theme.
Luyster’s ties to white supremacy were left out of the trial, though his history was not lost on the victim’s family, as Anderson lamented on how people become capable of such hate.
“You aren’t born with evil in your heart; it’s installed,” Anderson said.
