The Lakewood Wal-Mart employee suspected of helping plan the fatal robbery of a Loomis armored car guard now is charged with the state’s highest crime.

Pierce County prosecutors on Monday filed an aggravated first-degree murder charge against Tonie Marie Williams-Irby, 42. They also charged her boyfriend, 41-year-old Odies D. Walker, with aggravated murder.

The couple originally were charged with the lesser crime of first-degree murder in the death of 38-year-old Kurt Husted, who was gunned down and robbed June 2 as he carried money bags from the Wal-Mart to his waiting truck.

Deputy prosecutor Mark Lindquist said his office decided to upgrade the murder charge against Williams-Irby and Walker after reviewing more evidence from the police investigation.

“It became increasingly clear that they were up to their eyeballs in the planning of this crime,” Lindquist said after the two pleaded not guilty to the upgraded murder counts.

The increased charge qualifies Williams-Irby and Walker for a possible death sentence.

Prosecuting Attorney Gerald Horne has until July 1 to decide whether to seek capital punishment for Williams-Irby, Walker, suspected shooter Calvin Finley, 34, and Marshawn Turpin, 20, if they are convicted as charged.

Defense attorneys likely will seek to have that deadline extended to give them more time to try to persuade Horne to seek life imprisonment without parole instead.

Defense attorneys for the four said Monday that they also intend to contest the official filing of the death penalty consideration, contending prosecutors did not submit the paperwork in a timely fashion.

Prosecutors said in charging documents that Williams-Irby, who until the robbery worked as a floor manager at the store, provided Walker and Finley with inside information they used to plan the robbery of Husted, who was shot in the head without warning.

Walker also is alleged to have driven the getaway car the day of the attack.

Turpin is believed to have accompanied Finley into the store and to have grabbed a money bag after Husted was shot, according to court records.

Also Monday, prosecutors added more charges against the four alleged conspirators.

Finley, Williams-Irby and Walker now are charged with one count each of criminal solicitation to commit first-degree robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery.

Prosecutors allege the three friends tried to recruit another man to help in the robbery, but he refused. They then recruited Turpin, who agreed to participate, according to court records.

Prosecutors also filed a single new charge of conspiracy to commit robbery against Turpin.

All four defendants pleaded not guilty to the new charges.

Superior Court Judge Vicki Hogan increased the bail for Williams-Irby and Walker to $5 million from $2 million at the request of Lindquist. Finley and Turpin originally were ordered jailed in lieu of $5 million bail.

The four previously were charged with first-degree assault and first-degree robbery in the case.

Adam Lynn: 253-597-8644

adam.lynn@thenewstribune.com

blogs.thenewstribune.com/crime