Jury finds Bellingham woman guilty of second-degree murder for fatal 2021 shooting
A jury found a Bellingham woman accused of fatally shooting a man in 2021 guilty of second-degree murder in Whatcom County Superior Court on Monday.
The decision to convict Lynda Clare Mercy, 67, came after two and a half weeks of testimony and two days of deliberation. Mercy was arrested April 13, 2021, six days after 67-year-old Thomas Flood’s body was found on the Semiahmoo Spit.
Prosecutors alleged that Mercy deliberately killed Flood in Coupeville, drove him north to Blaine in his white van and tried to hide his body. Mercy’s defense attorneys argued that there were gaps in the evidence and said law enforcement didn’t investigate other potential suspects besides Mercy.
Mercy was found guilty of second-degree murder, which is defined as killing with intent but not premeditation. Jurors also issued a special verdict stating that Mercy was armed with a firearm during the commission of the crime.
Mercy is being held at Whatcom County Jail without bail until her sentencing. A placeholder date has been set for March 5. She faces up to life in prison.
This story was originally published February 23, 2026 at 4:00 PM.