Local
Three years after charges against her were thrown out, 20-year-old Rachelle Waterman faces new charges in the 2004 murder of her mother.
Waterman indicted on new charges 032909 LOCAL 3 JUNEAU EMPIRE Three years after charges against her were thrown out, 20-year-old Rachelle Waterman faces new charges in the 2004 murder of her mother.

Brian Wallace / Juneau Empire

Rachelle Waterman reacts to Judge Patricial Collins dropping murder charges during a court apperance March 7, 2006.

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Story last updated at 3/29/2009 - 9:48 am

Waterman indicted on new charges

Craig woman freed in 2006 after trial ended with a hung jury

Three years after charges against her were thrown out, 20-year-old Rachelle Waterman faces new charges in the 2004 murder of her mother.

On Friday, a Ketchikan grand jury handed down a seven-count indictment against Waterman for allegedly conspiring with two former boyfriends to murder her mother in 2004 on Prince of Wales Island.

The case garnered international attention when Waterman stood trial in 2006 after it was revealed that she had mentioned the murder of her mother on a Web site in the days following the crime. The first trial in Juneau ended in February 2006 with a hung jury, and the indictment was later thrown out after Superior Court Judge Patricia Collins determined investigators with the Alaska State Troopers had coerced a videotaped confession from Waterman.

Waterman was indicted Friday on charges of conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, kidnapping, burglary in the first degree, attempted murder in the first degree and criminally negligent homicide.

On Nov. 14, 2004, a hunter found Lauri Waterman's body inside the burned remains of her family's minivan on a remote logging road near Craig. Waterman's former boyfriends, Jason Arrant and Brian Radel, both 24 at the time of the killing, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. Both men testified against Waterman during the first trial, saying they carried out the crime at the behest of the then-16-year-old girl, who claimed her mother had physically and mentally abused her.

According to their testimony, Radel entered the Watermans' home shortly after midnight Nov. 14, 2004. He assaulted Lauri Waterman, abducted her in the family's van and drove to Forest Service Road 3012, where he met Arrant. In his confession, Radel said he first tried to break Lauri Waterman's neck before suffocating her.

Arrant confessed to following Radel to the end of the road, where he watched Radel douse the body and van with gasoline and use a lit roll of paper towels to ignite the vehicle in an attempt to destroy evidence. At the time of the murder, Rachelle Waterman had been in Anchorage at a volleyball tournament and her father, Carl "Doc" Waterman, was in Juneau on business.

Radel was sentenced to 99 years in prison. Arrant was sentenced to 99 years with 49 suspended for his part in the crime. During his sentencing in 2006, Arrant maintained that the crime was carried out on behalf of Rachelle Waterman.

"She told me she believed her life was in danger, and I bought it hook, line and sinker because I loved her with all my heart," Arrant said at his sentencing.

Both Radel and Arrant testified before the grand jury that handed down Friday's indictment.

Rachelle Waterman had kept a LiveJournal blog titled, "My Crappy Life," where she wrote about living in Craig. In the days after the murder, she made comments on the blog that drew the attention of investigators, including one on Nov. 18, 2004, where she allegedly wrote, "Just to let everyone know, my mother was murdered." The following day she wrote, "I get to talk to the troopers today. Whee!"

An arraignment has been set for 2 p.m. Friday in Ketchikan. According to the Associated Press, Waterman is in Florida and has not been taken into custody.

• The Associated Press contributed to this report.


Classifieds







Top Jobs

Loading...

Top Homes

Loading...

Top Rentals

Loading...

Top Boats

Loading...

Top Autos

Loading...



Facebook
Twitter
News
Share
Shop
Life
Visit