A 31-year-old Thurston County man accused of killing his roommate is being held in the county jail without bail.
Taylor Ryan Perkins attended his preliminary appearance in Thurston County Superior Court on Thursday. Deputies arrested him Wednesday on suspicion of second-degree murder, domestic violence.
The alleged crime occurred at a home off 44th Avenue Northwest, near Cooper Point Road, according to court records. A deputy found Perkins' roommate, a woman in her 50s, dead inside the home after being called to check on her, per the Sheriff's Office.
Judge John Skinder found probable cause for the alleged crime Thursday and ordered Perkins to be held without bail. In doing so, he determined the initial evidence sufficiently showed Perkins has a propensity for violence that creates a substantial likelihood of danger to the community.
"What I'm looking at is the nature of these particular allegations," Skinder said. "They are particularly extreme," Skinder said.
Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Heath Stone argued for a no bail hold given the severity of the crime. Stone alleged Perkins argued with the deceased woman over finances and attacked her.
"It appears that he got angry and then violently assaulted his roommate," Stone said. "While she was down and unconscious on the floor, he then stomped on her repeatedly until she died."
Stone said Perkins moved to Washington from Las Vegas, Nevada, in the last year. She argued he does not have close ties to the local community.
Public defense attorney Brit Kreimeyer asked Skinder to set release condition such as requiring an ankle monitor or reasonable bail. She added Perkins has no criminal convictions that reflects any sort of propensity for violence.
"Based on the (probable cause) affidavit, he seems incredible forthright with law enforcement," Kreimeyer said. "In fact, almost too forthright. It doesn't seem as if he was trying to run, flee or hide."
Though Perkins relocated from out-of-state, Kreimeyer said he intends to remain in the state and has no family left in Nevada.
Skinder set Perkins arraignment hearing for Nov. 14 and noted the no bail hold may be revisited as additional information comes to light.
The probable cause statement describes the investigation in the alleged crime from the perspective of law enforcement.
The victim's son called dispatch Wednesday to ask for a welfare check on his mother, who he had not heard from in two days. The son reportedly said he normally spoke to her daily.
A deputy visited the home on Wednesday but no one answered the door. He walked around the home and tried to peer into its windows but "did not notice anything unusual" there, according to the statement.
The deputy then saw Perkins exit the home and walk to his patrol vehicle just as he was preparing to leave a note.
The statement says Perkins began telling a story that was "not making sense" to the deputy. During the conversation, Perkins allegedly said the victim was dead inside the house. This prompted the deputy to detain Perkins in his patrol vehicle and call for more deputies.
Investigators at the scene found the woman lying face down in the kitchen next to the refrigerator with her head in a pool of dried and fresh blood, according to the statement.
Based on the scene, detectives determined she likely died in the spot where she was found.
Neighbors allegedly told detectives that they heard an argument between Perkins and the woman on Oct. 30. The statement says the neighbors heard several loud banging sounds with a momentary pause, followed by additional banging sounds.
When detectives interviewed Perkins, he allegedly admitted to murdering the woman on Oct. 30 during an argument about finances. He allegedly told detectives he pushed her from behind, causing her to hit her head and fall face down.
Perkins allegedly said he began stomping on the woman's head while she lay unconscious on the ground.
The statement says he stood by her until she stopped breathing and continued to live in the house with her remains for two days.
In at least one instance, the statement says Perkins opened the refrigerator to get food while the woman's body laid on the floor next to it.
