Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson issued an order Tuesday afternoon canceling the planned release of convicted triple murderer Timothy Pauley.
Ferguson’s decision reversed an order made by former Gov. Jay Inslee on his last day in office in January, allowing Pauley to be released from prison on parole. Prior to Ferguson’s reversal of his predecessor’s decision, Pauley had been set to be let out on Thursday.
Pauley, 66, is serving a life sentence for the murder of three people inside the Barn Door Tavern in SeaTac in 1980: night manager Loran Dowell, bartender Robert Pierre, and Linda Burford, Pierre’s girlfriend and former waitress at the bar.
In his order canceling Pauley’s parole, Ferguson said that “I am unconvinced that Mr. Pauley is truly rehabilitated and fit for release at this time. I respectfully disagree with the ISRB and former Governor Inslee and do not find that Mr. Pauley's rehabilitation is complete under RCW 9.95.100.”
The ISRB is the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board.
Kelly Tarp is the daughter of victim Loran Dowell. Her mother, Margaret, was raped, strangled and left for dead inside the Barn Door Tavern but survived.
“I’m elated at the news,” Tarp told The Center Square by phone Tuesday afternoon. "My sister Angie called, and I was at work and she asked me if I was sitting down. I thought she was going to say he was getting out and she said, 'He's not getting out,' and I started crying."
Tarp and her sister met with Ferguson on Monday, pleading with him not to release Pauley, who they believe has shown no remorse for the crime that destroyed their family.
“We appreciate that he took the time to hear us out,” Tarp said.
Ferguson told family members that he was weighing a lot of information about the case but understood the urgency, given Pauley’s imminent scheduled release.
Several Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Jenny Graham met with family members in recent days, offering to help bring attention to the case.
Graham told The Center Square on Tuesday that she does not believe Pauley has shown any remorse or taken responsibility for the lives he destroyed.
“He just kept talking about himself and everything he’s been through behind bars,” she said, referring to Pauley’s testimony before the ISRB in seeking to be released.
Graham is the ranking member of the House Public Safety Committee. Her sister was murdered by Gary Ridgway, the Green River killer, and she advocates for victims' rights.
Pauley had been denied parole multiple times until 2022, when the ISRB approved his release. But Inslee blocked Pauley’s release, saying that Pauley had not shown remorse and failed to take responsibility for the crime.
Inslee rescinded and revoked that decision on Jan. 14 as he finished out his third term as governor of Washington.
Late Tuesday, Tarp told The Center Square that while the family is celebrating and thankful to Ferguson, they know the fight isn't over.
"Unfortunately, we'll have to do this all over again in a few months," she said, suggesting the ISRB would set another date in the near future to consider Pauley's request for parole.
