Saturday 20 April 2013

Man kills two men caught in his illegal marijuana grow

Man kills two men caught in his illegal marijuana grow, According to a USAO press release on April 18, 2013, Jeremy Peter Capodanno, 36, was arrested late Wednesday following his indictment last week for manufacturing marijuana, and two counts for discharging and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug crime, announced U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. On December 6, 2012, Capodanno shot two people who had broken into the garage of his Puyallup residence – killing both of them. In the garage loft was a marijuana grow with nearly 200 plants. When police officers arrived, they found Capodanno in possession of a Glock 17, 9mm semiautomatic pistol, which is the gun that police allege Capodanno used to kill the two men. While searching Capodanno's truck, police found other weapons including a Bushmaster XM-15 Rifle; an Intratec Tec-9 9mm pistol; a Benelli 12 gauge shotgun; and a Professional Ordinance MDL Carbon 15. Capodanno will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on April 18 at 2:30 PM.

The two men killed were identified as Roy Piercy and Frederick Adamkiewicz, both 30 years old, and both died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head, according to the Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office. Both men were from Tacoma. Capodanno is alleged to have shot the two as they were attempting to rob his marijuana grow.

Police responded to the Summit-area residence, located on the 5900 block of 132nd St. E., after shots were fired inside the home. There was an illegal marijuana grow-house operation inside and the homeowner thought they were there to rob him so he shot the two men, said Pierce County Sheriff’s Spokesman Ed Troyer.

The homeowner was not arrested, but the case will be sent to the Pierce County Prosecutor. Even if the man will not be charged in their shooting, he could face charges for growing illegal marijuana,

The indictment charges Capodanno with manufacturing marijuana because of the large grow operation found in the loft of his garage.

He is charged with carrying the Glock and firing it in furtherance of the drug trafficking crime and is charged in the third count for possessing the four other weapons. The indictment also contains a forfeiture allegation, which means the government will seek to forfeit property that the Grand Jury has alleged was used in commission of the crimes or was purchased with marijuana proceeds. These properties include the defendant’s house in Puyallup, where the where the shooting occurred, as well as a second house in Kent, Washington, along with a 2008 Mercedes and a 2008 Toyota pickup truck. The government is also seeking to forfeit the guns used in the crime.

Capodanno has not been charged with a crime in shooting the two men. Prosecutor Mark Lindquist said. "Regardless of whether you are operating an illegal enterprise, you still have the right to use deadly force in defense of yourself or others or your property,"

Manufacturing marijuana is punishable by five to 40 years in prison. If convicted of all charges, the defendant faces a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison.

We are reminded that charges are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Sources: USAO press release, KIRO TV

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