SEATTLE - A woman and her boyfriend admitted to methodically gunning down her parents and four other family members in rural Washington on Christmas Eve, according to police affidavits filed in court yesterday.
Michele Andersen, 29, and Joe McEnroe, 29, were ordered held without bail after a court appearance yesterday. Formal charges have not yet been filed, but both were arrested Wednesday for investigation of six counts of homicide.
McEnroe and Anderson shot her parents, Wayne and Judy Anderson, using large-caliber pistols and dragged the bodies to a shed, authorities wrote in the affidavits, which were based on statements they gave to authorities.
A short time later, the Anderson's son, Scott, his wife Erika, and children Olivia, 6, and Nathan, 3, arrived for a Christmas Eve visit. "Knowing that Scott and his family were potential witnesses, Joe and Michele shot them," sheriff's Detective John Pavlovich wrote.
The suspects, who had been together for six years, lived in a trailer about 200 yards from her parents' house. After the killings, they tried to flee to Canada, court documents said, but they returned the following day and were detained.
Anderson told authorities both of them shot her parents, brother and sister-in-law, but McEnroe killed the children, according to the affidavit.
Michele Anderson's attorney, public defender George Eppler, said he spoke with her briefly before the hearing. But when asked if she admitted guilt, Eppler said, "We limited our conversation solely to the issue of today's court appearance."
