Man pleads guilty to killing wife, daughter over debt

A Pierce County man has pleaded guilty to killing his wife and daughter because he didn’t want them to know about their dire financial situation

Dean Holmes, 40, had already confessed to investigators shortly after the August killings. His wife was shot as she slept in their Spanaway home. His daughter was shot in the backseat of his car.

“This is a horrendous crime of domestic violence that shocked this office and the community,” says Pierce county Prosecutor Mark Lindquist.

The News Tribune reports that on Tuesday Holmes pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the deaths of his wife, Kristi Holmes, and their 11-year-old daughter, Violet.

Lindquist says aggravated murder carries only two possible sentences, one is life without the possibility of parole, the second is the death penalty.

Lindquist says Holmes’ willingness to take responsibility will factor into his decision about whether to seek capital punishment.

“The fact that the defendant took responsibility by pleading guilty as charged is a significant factor that will be considered when I decide whether or not to seek the death penalty, but there are other factors that must be considered as well,” says Lindquist.

Lindquist said he hopes to make that decision later this week.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.