Man sentenced to 20 years for fatal shooting at Tacoma bus stop
A man who fatally shot someone at a Tacoma bus stop and later shot himself when police confronted him was sentenced Friday.
Stephen Dylan Alexander Milner, 24, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree assault.
Superior Court Judge James Orlando gave him a mid-range sentence of 20 years for the death of 43-year-old James Mureness, which is what the state and defense recommended.
Charging papers say Milner’s family called 911 to his home April 23, 2019 and reported that he had fired a gun into the ceiling. Police didn’t find him there when they arrived.
Later officers responded to the bus stop in the 2900 block of East D Street, where they found Mureness dead and another man who had been grazed by a bullet.
Milner didn’t know them. He suffered from mental illness, had a history of psychosis, believed people were trying to kill him and had allegedly been using methamphetamine, according to court records.
When police found Milner walking in Tacoma, he shot himself but survived.
Milner allegedly told investigators he thought one of the men at the bus stop had a knife and that he feared the other also was armed.
Mureness’ brother, Donald Mureness, appeared in court via video.
He asked for a maximum sentence.
“Our family has a hole that will forever be empty,” he told the judge.
Milner apologized when it was his turn to address the court. He said he would change what happened if he could.
Judge Orlando noted “not only the significant chemical issues that Mr. Milner was dealing with in terms of drugs, but also the underlying psychological issues he was dealing with.”
Then he handed down the sentence.
