Statements by Randle Murder Suspect Admissible in Trial

Statements made to detectives by Jonathan Adamson, facing an August trial for charges including first-degree murder in the death of Randle teen Benjamin Eastman III, will be admissible in an upcoming jury trial, a Superior Court Judge ruled Monday.

Adamson and a trio of Lewis County Sheriff’s Office detectives testified in Lewis County Superior Court Monday afternoon as part of a hearing on the evidence. The content of the interviews were largely left vague during the hearing with one exception — when a detective detailed a conversation in which Adamson claimed, and then recanted, that he was coerced into admitting to the homicide by an individual who threatened his life and the lives of his family.

Lewis County Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said such a hearing was routine in determining whether statements made by defendants to law enforcement officers will be admissible as evidence in court, with much of Monday’s hearing revolving around whether Adamson had been properly advised of his rights, including the right to be silent or to have an attorney, prior to interviews.

Primarily at question were three interviews conducted by Detective Sgt. Kevin Engelbertson and one encounter between Adamson and Detective Gabriel Frase, as Frase transported Adamson to the Lewis County Jail.

Englebertson took the stand and was questioned by both Meyer and Adamson’s attorney Don Blair. The content of his first interview with Adamson — conducted June 29, 2018 — was not discussed in detail. Engelbertson said he read Adamson his rights and Adamson said he was willing to answer any questions.

Going into the interview, Engelbertson testified, he had been notified Adamson’s mother had retained counsel for Adamson and his brother, Benito Marquez, who was also charged in Eastman’s death. Engelbertson said he told Adamson about the attorney, but Adamson was willing to go through with an interview without that attorney present. Engelbertson said he had called Meyer for legal advice on how to proceed with the interview.

Adamson testified he did ask Engelbertson about getting into contact with his attorney, but that the detective told him he probably couldn’t reach the attorney since it was a Saturday.

Engelbertson, when asked by Blair about the alleged exchange, said he “absolutely” didn’t tell Adamson that.

Meyer confronted Adamson with a copy of the transcript of his interview with Engelbertson, asking him to read a portion of the interview to himself, then again asked him about his claim about asking for an attorney.

Adamson then testified that he must have been mistaken, but didn’t rule out the possibility that he asked for his attorney during an unrecorded conversation with Engelbertson.

Frase then transported Adamson from Ellensburg, Washington — where he had been arrested by the Washington State Patrol — to Lewis County. During the car ride, Frase said he had small talk with Adamson and some conversation about a site where he and Marquez allegedly hid Eastman’s body.

On June 30, Engelbertson said, Adamson was transported from the Lewis County Jail to a site where he and Marquez were believed to have initially hidden Eastman’s body, before moving it later. The entire interview was video recorded by Detective Michael Mohr. Frase was also on scene.

A portion of the video was played during the hearing — depicting the very beginning and the very end of the multi-hour interview. Engelbertson and Adamson — who was wearing a red jail jumpsuit and shackles on his wrists — were seen standing on a remote road surrounded by forest. Engelbertson is heard saying Adamson was read his Miranda warning, a notification of his rights, prior to the video starting.

The final interview discussed during the hearing was also between Engelbertson and Adamson. It occurred July 1 after Engelbertson was contacted by someone at the jail, saying Adamson wanted to talk with him urgently.

Engelbertson said he immediately read Adamson his rights and then said Adamson informed him, without a recorder running, that there was a person threatening himself and his family. This person demanded he confess to killing Eastman, Engelbertson reported.

Engelbertson said he believed the story was untrue. After talking with Adamson more about it, Adamson got “teary-eyed” and then said he made the story up. Engelbertson began to record the interview, starting out with reading his Miranda rights again. At that point, Adamson said he wanted to talk with an attorney. Engelbertson said that was the first time in his interactions with Adamson he ever requested an attorney.

Adamson, when he took to the stand, said he asked about legal representation when he was first arrested. He said he asked a Washington State Patrol trooper when he was being held at Ellensburg. The trooper said he wasn’t sure if Adamson had an attorney or not, Adamson said.

Blair, during a final argument, said in two of the recorded interviews, there was no indication Adamson was informed his interviews were being recorded. He asked that those conversations not be allowed during trial.

Meyer argued it was clear the interviews weren’t recorded in secret.

Judge James Lawler, who presided over the hearing, said he found all of the interviews and interactions would be admissible during the trial.

Adamson’s trial is slated to start the week of Aug. 5. He’s been charged with first-degree aggravated murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree rape, first-degree assault, first-degree rendering criminal assistance, tampering with physical evidence, unlawful disposal of remains and two counts of tampering with a witness.

Adamson and Marquez are accused of beating Eastman to death on June 24, 2018, after telling him they were going camping. It’s estimated they beat the 16-year-old for around 20 to 45 minutes. They are also accused of moving his body afterward. Marquez has since pleaded guilty.