Army Ranger charged in Tacoma security guard’s death

doesn't matter if he knows the victim. not a requirement of 1st degree murder. the story does seem to indicate is was not premeditated, though. have to wait for more details

Innocent until proven guilty....
Even still- He set out to commit a felony and killed someone in the process, which leads to 1st degree.

Read the case report...there's a lot that's not in the news article and rightfully so about how he killed her.

Also in Washington:

"First Degree Murder is most often thought of as an intentional killing done with premeditation. However, premeditation isn't the only way in which this offense is defined."

https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.32.030

I'm not sure why it's two charges for the one victim. I looked up the case report...it's pretty terrible what he did to that poor woman.

After he viciously beat, stabbed her with keys and then chocked the security guard, he went to a conference room, attempted to smash out a window in that room with a chair. He re-entered the lobby, began to throw things around. Exited the building. Walked down the stairs. Stopped on a landing where he disappears from camera view. Landing is 14 ft above the ground. Separate video showed the defendant lying on the concrete floor below the landing. He either fell or jumped. It's mentioned earlier than this that he was at the hospital with a brain injury - and that's probably how he hit his head. He appeared passed out for a period of time, then came to and walked away. Shortly after that is the 911 call made of a male covered in blood and screaming for help.

First he told responders he was stabbed - no stab wounds. Then he apparently told them at the hospital he was sexually assaulted but wouldn't let them do an exam. Then told the cops he didn't recall attacking the guard or any of it.

I didn't see any other victims listed. It's the initials of the security guard in both charges. I'm sure he probably doesn't remember his attack on the guard when he fell 14 feet and hit his head. But either way that was after the assault so no way his lawyers use that as a defense. I'm sure they'll try some ridiculous defense though.

Could she have been pregnant and that is the second charge? I’m guessing, I know nothing about the case, but that is how you get a second charge in Alabama if you kill a pregnant woman.

Typically people who are trained in combatives are treated like weapons when they fight... Like most black belts and special forces people may get aggravated versions of violent crimes because they are trained in tactics that are intended to kill...

Pregnant victims.. I know Ohio has a law where killing a pregnant woman automatically gets you second charge of aggravated murder... ( we don't have degree murder statute.. It's just murder or aggravated murder.)