Waterman Sentenced to 3 Years For Mother's Death

July 15, 2011|by Jackie Bartz and Chris Klint | Channel 2 News

Jackie Bartz/KTUU-DT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Rachelle Waterman was sentenced to three years in prison Friday after being convicted of criminally negligent homicide in February for colluding with two men at age 16 to kill her mother, Lauri Waterman, in 2004. The defense says it will appeal the decision.

While Waterman expressed guilt for her actions before Judge William B. Carey, she asked the court for a sentence of time served.

"I never thought something like this could happen," Waterman told the court Friday. "I would do anything to undo this."

Investigators say Waterman acted as a “puppetmaster” for boyfriends Jason Arrant and Brian Radel, who were both 24 when they suffocated her mother and burned her body in a minivan on Prince of Wales Island. While Waterman admitted that her mother’s death was her fault, she also alluded to the role the men played in the crime.

"If I hadn't associated with those men, we wouldn't be here today," Waterman said.

Today, Carey said Waterman manipulated the boys, making Arrant believe the two would be together if her mother wasn’t around.

Carey had harsh words for the two men.

“She was manipulating two of the biggest losers on the island,” he said.

Prosecutors wanted Waterman to serve five years in prison, while her attorney suggested sentencing her to the just under two years she’s already served. Waterman could have received a sentence as long as 10 years, but will get credit for time served and is expected to serve about eight months.

Waterman’s father, Doc Waterman, read a letter in court backing a lighter sentence. He said he had seen his daughter’s remorse and that her only crime was failing to recognize her poor choice in boyfriends, going on to note that she has been employed since she was released on bail and has almost completed a college degree.

Waterman was not taken into custody pending appeal, but was fingerprinted and released.

The February verdict against Waterman came after a week of jury deliberations in her second murder trial. The first ended in a hung jury after five days of deliberation.

In the second trial, Waterman was found not guilty of first-degree murder, felony murder, kidnapping, burglary and attempted murder.

Contact Jackie Bartz at jbartz@ktuu.com

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