Whatcom County jury reaches verdict in trial of man accused of killing his brother
A jury found a Seattle man accused of shooting and killing his brother during a trip back from Republic in 2022 guilty of second-degree murder on Monday following two days of deliberation. He faces life in prison without parole.
John Roper Thomson, 42, killed his half-brother, 69-year-old Robert Thomson, near the western end of Diablo Lake in the North Cascades National Park on Aug. 8, 2022. He was charged with first-degree murder and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm.
To be found guilty of second-degree murder, all jurors must find that the person killed someone intentionally, but without premeditation. Jurors either all decided John Thomson was not guilty of first-degree murder, or could not come to a unanimous decision.
John Thomson was also found guilty of two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. He was not allowed to own guns due to a prior felony conviction. Each of these charges carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
John Thomson’s trial lasted two weeks in Whatcom County Superior Court. His sentencing has been scheduled for June 5.