David Knotek

Case record: David Knotek

Background

David Knotek was a man from Raymond. He was accused of participation in the torture deaths of three people.

David Knotek of Raymond was a Vietnam veteran and construction worker. He was 51 years old. He graduated from Raymond High School in 1971. Even though he passed a test to become a priest, he decided to join the Navy for 5 years where he learned the heavy construction trade. He had also worked for the local Weyerhaeuser mill for awhile. Friends described him as a good guy, pleasant, and with a great sense of humor. Acquaintances said David became withdrawn and distant over the past decade and had become a heavy drinker. David was well liked, didn't seem to have any enemies and was never known to be a problem. "I've known David forever," said former Raymond Mayor Leon Lead. "He applied for a garbage truck driving job (with the City of Raymond) when I was mayor. He blended right in, in fact, I'm surprised they're still around the area. I haven't seen him in years. "He was the last guy I would think of for something like this, kind of a Regular Joe."

John McVey remembered David from high school as a handsome, cool, popular guy who was nice to everyone. McVey watched him transform into a nervous wreck after he married. "Dave looked like he was always looking over his shoulder. He looked paranoid. thought he was just stressed." McVey said.

David Knotek lived with his wife, Michelle Knotek. They were accused in the deaths of Shane Watson and two people who once boarded at their home in Pacific County. Human remains were found on their property after their arrests.

The offence

David Knotek and Michelle Knotek were accused of deaths connected to the households they maintained in Pacific County. David Knotek earlier pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of his step-nephew, Shane Watson, as well as unlawful disposal of human remains and rendering criminal assistance.

David Knotek and his wife were accused in deaths that included:

1. Shane Watson, aged 19, and Kathy Loreno Thomas, aged 36, who disappeared in 1994.
2. James McClintok, aged 81, who police alleged died under suspicious circumstances in February 2002.
3. Ronald Woodworth, aged 57, who died in August 2003.

David Knotek was accused of assisting his wife in covering up the murders and abuse of Kathy Loreno Thomas and Shane Watson.

In police interviews described in the case summary, David told authorities that he and Michelle would befriend people down on their luck, subject them to abuse and murder them, and then dispose of the bodies. David stated that he had shot and killed Shane Watson, burnt the body, and burned and scattered ashes along a nearby beach. David further stated that Michelle had murdered Kathy Loreno Thomas with an iron and that like Watson her body was burnt.

David also stated that Michelle called him at work one day to say that "Woody" had killed himself. David returned home and later buried him in the yard. Police had since exhumed Woodworth.

After their arrests, a body believed to be Ron "Woody" Woodworth was exhumed.

Investigation and task force activity

The Knoteks were arrested in August 2003 after their daughters told police their parents had tortured and killed three people at their farmhouse over a period of 15 years. Police discovered Woodworth's remains in the couple's back yard on August 9, 2003.

A multiple murder and torture investigation was undertaken in Raymond.

A task force was quickly formed by area representatives from the King, Lewis, Grays Harbor and Clark county sheriffs' offices, South Bend and Raymond police and the King County medical examiner's office, which had special expertise in the examination of decomposed remains because of the county's Green River serial killer case. The state Attorney General's Office had offered assistance and Didion appealed for federal help.

Authorities next planned to search the backyard of the Knoteks' old Wilson Creek Road house located at the end of a long isolated driveway, about a mile away from where they were currently living. Authorities were also undertaking steps to search the yard of another house that the Knotek's lived in on Wilson Creek Road and another property belonging to Michelle in Battle Ground, WA. A current resident of the house noticed doors marked with holes where heavy-duty locks were installed on the outside of doors. There was also reference to a 1996 aerial photograph showing freshly turned dirt behind the home in an area now overgrown, but it was not known if that area had been searched.

If it weren't for the public's help, these cases might have remained a mystery.

Arrest and initial court appearances

The Knoteks were arrested on the 8th of August 2003 and made their first appearance in court two days later. They were charged with first-degree murder with bail set at $5 million each.

David Knotek was being held on suspicion of assisting his wife in covering up the murders and abuse of Kathy Loreno Thomas and Shane Watson. Shackled and cuffed Dave appeared to be in a fog. David said little. Michelle appeared angry, upset and confused.

August 13, 2003 charges were filed in Pacific County Superior Court. Michelle Knotek was charged with two counts of 1st-degree murder in the deaths of Kathy Loreno and Ron Woodworth. Prosecutors alleged Michelle showed "extreme indifference" in the deaths of Kathy Loreno and Ronald Woodworth.

David was charged with rendering criminal assistance and unlawful disposal of human remains in Woody's death. At his lawyer's request, arraignment for David was rescheduled for for August 25, 2003, with Grays Harbor Superior Court Judge Mark McCauley presiding.

August 14, 2003 bail for David and Michelle was raised from $4 million to $5 million each.

Trial and plea

David Knotek pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of his step-nephew, Shane Watson.

David pleaded guilty in the death of his wife's teenage nephew, Shane Watson, in a plea agreement that reduced the charge from first-degree murder. Knotek told Pacific County Superior Court that he shot and killed Watson and buried the body of a 57-year-old boarder, Ron Woodworth, after Woodworth died.

In addition to the murder plea, Knotek entered a modified guilty plea to a charge of rendering criminal assistance -- maintaining his innocence on that count but conceding that he likely would have been convicted at trial. He also pleaded guilty to improper disposal of human remains. No sentencing date had been set at that time, but both prosecution and defense agreed to recommend a combined sentence just short of 15 years. Had he been convicted of first-degree murder, Knotek would have faced a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years.

The case record also described that sentencing was due to be carried out by September 2004.

Sentencing

David Knotek was sentenced to 179 months in prison on August 26, 2004.

He was sentenced to just under 15 years in prison for participation in the torture deaths.

Related proceedings involving Michelle Knotek

Michelle Knotek was sentenced last week in Pacific County Superior Court to more than 22 years in prison. She had entered modified guilty pleas, acknowledging a jury would most likely have convicted her of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the deaths of Kathy Loreno and Ronald Woodworth.

Michelle Knotek was set to face trial May 3 on the murder charges described before the plea agreement. The cause of Woodworth's death last summer had not been revealed at that time. Kathy Loreno was reported missing in 1994; Watson, 19, disappeared some time after Loreno was last seen.

Appeals

No appeals were described for David Knotek.

Aftermath and investigative context

Prosecutors said three people were killed at the farmhouse over the past decade, two of them tortured and abused to death.

Pacific County Prosecutor David Burke said: "It's my perspective that this deal offers us the best chance to find out the most about what happened here,"

Defense lawyer David Hatch said: "David Knotek's agreement to cooperate with investigators is not meant to help the case against his wife. The two were unlikely to have been forced to testify against each other anyway because of the state's marital privilege laws."

Dental records had been requested to link evidence found to Shane or Kathy, and families were told DNA evidence would be important.

The record described that police discovered Woodworth's remains after a tip alleged killings and torture at the home. Investigators uncovered a body in the back yard of the couple's quaint Raymond farmhouse shortly after the two were arrested in August.

The record further described that investigators were looking into the death of James McClintock, an elderly man who died Feb. 9, 2002, allegedly after falling in his home while in the care of Michelle Knotek. James McClintock had died after "falling" in his home; someone was in the home when he fell. Michelle called 911 to report he had fallen. Police Chief Dave Eastham said Mac did live long enough to talk to deputies and did not mention foul play.

The record also described that McClintock's death certificate lists the cause of death as "acute subdural hematoma, blunt impact to head." The doctor who examined his body ruled the manner of death "undetermined," and the doctor referred the death to the Pacific County coroner, David Burke, who was also the county's prosecuting attorney. It was unclear if the office ever looked into the death but the case will be reopened.