Kevin Harper won't do time for murder in West Valley slayings
YAKIMA, Wash. -- The triple murder trial took its final unexpected turn, when it was revealed Kevin Harper would walk away from the case, free of murder charges.
Friends of the Goggins left the Yakima courtroom stunned and frustrated after the details of Kevin Harper's plea agreement were announced.
Harper pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm. And, possession of stolen property, for having the Goggins' stolen credit cards.
"Two weeks ago, we were provided additional information with regard to the investigation," said Yakima County Deputy Prosecutor Ken Ramm.
Ramm said that new information came from a witness. And, it changed the time prosecutors originally thought the murders happened by several hours.
"Which made a huge different in terms of Mr. Harper's, both his alibi and his ability to having to committed the crimes," said Ramm.
Prosecutors said they couldn't get a conviction.
Harper's lawyer says they had no choice.
"I would say impossible for Kevin Harper to have committed these offenses; that is the murder of the Goggins," said Harper's defense attorney Pete Mazzone.
With that, the aggravated murder charges for the deaths Bill, Pauline and Elizabeth Goggin were dropped. And, the prospect of a life sentence went away.
Now, the combined maximum sentence for the gun and stolen property charges is 15 years.
Prosecutors recommend a seven-year sentence with a chance to serve more than a year of that outside of jail. That recommendation comes in light of Harper's plea.
KIMA tried to speak with prosecutors but both Ken Ramm and Steven Jackson left the courtroom using a side entrance.
That leaves friends of the Goggins once again looking for answers.
"I'm stunned," said Rocky Faulconer. "Because it's been 18 months and we're back to ground zero. We have no idea, no direction, no people. You know? What went wrong? Where's our prosecuting attorney? Where's our sheriff's department?"
A deal no one saw coming is now done.
Kevin Harper will be sentenced at the beginning of January.
Once again prosecutors charge someone with a crime before the investigation has been completed .Now this man is going to walk with suspicion for the rest of his life .I will never understand how the authorities can release information to the press without all of the facts .What would have happened if the witness had NOT come forward ??? At least in this case the press released the reason why he is no longer being charged unlike another case recently in bonner county .
Well duh, he had no choice but to take that plea. Those were found in his possession.  At least he was man enough to take the blame for what he DID do. The Yakima herald talks about how the new witness places a new time on the murders and Kevin had a proven alibi as to where he was. I'm sure all the crap talkers will continue but it's been proven Kevin could not be in two places at once. This is all very unfortunate. I truly hope that they do find out who did it. It's too bad they didn't continue looking after they got Kevin. This may never be solved.Â
 @Tired citizen of Yakima here is the video that shows the other persons of interest. Most of these are convicted felons that should have DNA on file if WA State does that. There really is no excuse for not comparing the DNA from the four other suspects. (not counting Mr. Harper or his wife)   Except maybe they don't want to know the truth as they may have to prosecute a CI. I don't know for sure but it's the only reason I can think of for not checking.
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http://www.kimatv.com/video/?id=173623331
 @Old man on the Mountain  @Tired citizen of Yakima I've seen all of this, I believe since the time stamp has changed they may now go after Tracy? I know Kevin personally and while he's not the greatest person I don't believe he would kill three innocent people in cold blood with a hammer. Tracy I also know and I wouldn't put it past her. She is crazy....now the other people I have no clue who they are other than his wife crystal, her charges being dismissed is very surprising to me other than the fact that they obviously were part of his plea deal. I believe that she should of been charged with at least possession of stolen property, it was her home too and it's not like they lived in a huge house where she didn't have access to certain rooms where the things were kept. If I remember right they lived in a tiny trailer and she would of known that the Groggins stuff was there. Very very sad....I don't think we will ever forget about this, at least not in my lifetime.
what?
wow, im not surprised, thats Yakima justice, criminals do get away with crimes, seen it happen before here, the tweekers run this town!
What happened to the rest of the video?
the rest of the video is at     http://www.kimatv.com/video/?id=173623331   and explains about the other suspects. For those that wondered where it went.
Old man ... the question I have for you is do you know Kevin Harper? Do you know his past? His circumstances when this crime occurred? Consider there may be excellent reasons people have a hard time believing in a credible witness suddenly appearing after EIGHTEEN MONTHS and remembering details accurate enough to truly BE credible. I don't remember the last time I saw Kevin Harper, and that was around 19 months ago. But I do remember his law team coming to plead for statements about how "different" he was when he was all strung out ... as if there was a time he wasn't?
 @A Distant Memory I have been following the fiasco from the beginning. Â
I find it funny that you believed the loose evidence that the state had. The fact that they didn't investigate such things as DNA. Instead it is a textbook case of how not to investigate a case.Â
I say this as a retired investigator. I'm afraid that you let news and opinion influence you.Â
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How different, or what he did before really doesn't convict a person. True fact does. The State knew it didn't have a good solid case and tried everything to make it work. Thank goodness a credible witness came forward to place a valid time for when the crime happened. Where Mr. Harper was at the new time of crime was known to the investigators and it wasn't physically possible to be in two places at once. Why not ask them where he was at the new time?
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My point is that we, are not the court or the Jury, We the public don't get to see all the information, but I assure you that when the prosecution brings this info to the table, and admits the mistake, drops the charges,  you must accept that, and as all are innocent before being found guilty by a Court of Law, he is innocent.  Regardless of what he had done before.
 @Old man on the Mountain I find it funny that you seem to have missed the fact that I actually knew the man, knew his previous crimes, knew his personality, heard the things that were being said among his actual circle of "friends" directly after this happened, and more (like the fact that he WASN'T different than say, the time he kidnapped an old woman and held her hostage with her own gun, just a year or so before this incident. Goes to "character".)  You missed my point that people have good reasons for being skeptical of his actual innocence. And now we will never know.
 @Old man on the Mountain To clear up what I am trying to say, many people who are familiar with the man will always harbor skepticism over his level of involvement, because of his past actions. That has nothing to do with a court or a jury, that has to do with the reality of the way he lived his life and the choices he made. Sometimes you have to lay in the bed you make, like it or not.
Please, if you read the article. The prosecution came up recently with a solid witness that totally clears Mr. Harper.
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He has been in custody, under threat of death penalty for most of the time since the murders, knowing that he didn't do it! Can you even imagine being in that circumstance?
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They wanted to make the circumstantial evidence to match the suspect, not follow the facts to find out who did it.
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He has been exonerated so we should lay off him, and press our County (not City) Sheriffs office to do a better investigation and our prosecution to obey the laws of our State and Nation.Â
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At least he was man enough to plead guilty for the stolen property and take responsibility for what he did doI'm so glad that you all believe in innocent until proven guilty. Now when proven Innocent of the murders by the prosecution, you still convict him here.  .
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If he was involved in anyway it is still murder ? Can he be tried again? I thought only rich people got away with murder.
How can this guy get away with this .15 years is the most this guy can get ,,,He wil probably be out in less time I dont understand this if he did,nt kill them who did ,,,Wow this guy just pulled off an O,J Simpson,,,
never count on the system for justice.Â
 @Stefan I had a friend whose daughter tried to take her house. She took her to court and tried to get appointed guardian. She lost and a professional guardian was appointed. In the end the court made the mother (my friend) pay both of the lawyers fee. The daughters lawyer charged a huge amount. She was a mean self centered women who caused her mother grief and then charged HER :( Justice
this makes me SICK SICK SICK!!!!
We have laws in place to ensure a fair trail and the prosecutors in this case blew it. They blatantly disregarded the rights of a suspect who is innocent until proven guilty and sadly it looks like because of those actions, a murderer is going to go uncharged and unprosecuted. I have questioned the policies and actions of the prosecutors office for a while. It seems the prosecutor and those in that office disregard the laws in order to achieve their goals. It is time for a major change in that office because we have gone from plea bargins of "self defense" to a complete lapse of a proper conviction due to the incompentancy of officials.Â
The Yakima Police and the DA should be ashamed for this travisty.
 @Lenard Blachly they might be but it was the Yakima Sheriffs office that did the investigation
@Lenard Blachly  maybe its time for and eye for a eye this so sick
There is a lot they aren't telling us. Who ever killed these three great people should HANG.
This makes me sick. Where is Pauline, Bill, and Bettye's justice? I have lost all respect for Yakima County justice. It is a kangaroo court system and should be shut down. If justice isn't served, it is a waste of money.
 @Sonja Fischer I had a friend who was accused of a crime. The head prosecutors and the head defense guys got together and agreed to the sentence. It was because he had a court appointed lawyer. It opened my eyes big time. He had no one on his side-even his lawyer did what he was told.
 @DJ  @Sonja FischerÂ
He shouldnt of had anyone on his side.. who did the Groggins have on their side while they were at home watching tv and relaxing for the evening?????
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Have you ever heard of consitutional Rights? Innocent until proven guilty?
 @Pam Shaw Anderman  @DJ  @Sonja FischerÂ
Everyone, even a criminal, should have someone to defend them honestly. That is a guarantee of our justice system, placed by our constitution. DJ is right about how the Yakima Public Defenders work. But Mr. Harper didn't have Yakima lawyers who were hooked into the system.Â
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The truth is, he should have already been serving a long-term sentence when this crime occurred. Being charged & convicted of a crime involving a gun when you are already a felon should do that, but the great city of Yakima decided to let Idaho try the case and plead it out. Justice is served, eh?