Tacoma man said his mother died by suicide. Prosecutors allege he murdered her
A man charged with the fatal stabbing of his 65-year-old mother in Tacoma is accused of planning the killing.
Prosecutors charged Ronald Thomas Stephens, 35, with first-degree murder for the stabbing that happened April 18 in the 1200 block of North Pearl Street.
A plea of not guilty was entered on Stephens’ behalf during his arraignment Thursday afternoon. Pierce County Superior Court Judge Pro Tempore Brian Tollefson set Stephens’ bail at $1.5 million.
Deputy prosecuting attorney Dalton Smith, who described the attack as “violent and vicious,” contend it might have been planned for some time. Prosecutors say Stephens at first implied to police his mother died by suicide, but the investigation did not support his claims.
The woman’s identity will be released by the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Details from charging documents
Stephens reported to 911 at 8:52 a.m. that he found his mother’s body after he woke up to take his 6-year-old niece to school. He told dispatch his mother used his knife to kill herself and did not know how she got it, according to the probable cause document.
Stephens’ sister and her daughter were reportedly also at the house when the incident occurred, documents show. The woman was pronounced dead at 9:11 a.m. after Tacoma officers and fire personnel went to the apartment.
During the investigation, detectives noticed there was no signs of forced entry. There was a cut on the woman’s right palm/wrist area and a puncture wound to her upper chest, documents show. She also had a pillow over her face, documents show.
Detectives learned Stephens had recently moved to Washington from Utah and was sleeping on the couch at his mother’s home, documents show.
Documents show that Stephens allegedly made inconsistent statements during the investigation about whether his mother was suicidal.
The night before the victim was found dead, Stephens’ sister said her mother came home from church between 7:30 to 8 p.m., documents show. She and Stephens were playing the card game UNO until about 11 p.m, according to the sister. She said that the next morning, Stephens tried to tell her that their mother “took herself.”
During the interview with Stephens, detectives said there was a “strong odor of intoxicants” coming from his breath, documents show. At some point in the interview, Stephens allegedly said under his breath, “Do I really have to say, ‘mom’?” Detectives later learned that Stephens did not like his mother and did not address her in that way, documents show.
Detectives allege Stephens’ timeline was different from his sister’s. During his interview, Stephens told detectives that his mother and sister were “constantly bickering” and did not get along. He alleged that his mother texted him the night before but did not show detectives the texts when asked to, saying it might have been an email.
Detectives also found a handwritten letter in the apartment to the sister that was signed by Stephens from March 22. Some of the content in the letter said, “I got Me and I got You!!!” “I Got Your Back,,,,” and “I Hope You Have Mine,,,” His sister told detectives Stephens began to say he wanted their mom “gone” after the letter was written.
Interview before arrest
Stephens’ sister gave another interview to detectives Tuesday. She said Stephens allegedly did not like how their mother would speak to her and her daughters.
When detectives asked the sister if the words, “I’m going to kill her,” ever came out of Stephens’ mouth, she said he said it about five to 20 times over the past month, documents show. Stephens allegedly told her it would “be easy” and that was why he showed their mom his knives.
Stephens’ sister recounted the events of the night before the alleged stabbing happened.
Their mother came back from church and went to her bedroom, documents show. Stephens and his sister discussed their mom not wanting her to drive the car.
His sister said after they played UNO, she went to the bathroom with the fan on, and she assumed her brother went to the living room, documents show. She came out of the bathroom after 15 minutes and did not know where Stephens was so she went to her room. His sister said she eventually heard a “gasping” noise and did not investigate because she was scared.
When Stephens came into her room, his sister told detectives that he said something to the effect of, “I did it.” There was allegedly blood smeared on his palms as well. His sister told detectives she did not know he would actually go through with allegedly killing their mother. She also denied being involved in her mother’s death.
Stephens does not have any previous criminal convictions, according to court records.
