Man charged with four counts of murder in Kirkland slayings

A Kirkland man accused of killing a woman, her sister and her two young sons before burning the family home down was charged this morning with four counts of aggravated murder and one count of first degree arson.

King County Prosecutor Norm Maleng, who announced the charges at a news conference, has 30 days from a July 31 arraignment to decide if he will seek the death penalty against Conner Schierman, 24.

Schierman, who is being held on $10 million bail, said he awoke inside Olga Milkin's home last Monday after having been in a drunken blackout. He said he was covered in blood. Lyubov Botvina, 24, Milkin's sister, was found slain in an upstairs bedroom of the home.

Like her sister, Botvina had multiple stab wounds to "the upper body, neck and head," according to court documents.

Schierman lived across the street from the home, has said he has no recollection of what happened. But a law-enforcement source said he had enough of his wits about him to shower off the blood, steal some clean clothing, douse the home with gasoline and set it ablaze to try to cover up the killings.

The killings occurred just weeks after Schierman moved in across the street from the family of National Guard Sgt. Leonid Milkin.

Maleng choked up when he said that the horrific nature of the crime was compounded because Milkin was serving in Iraq when the crime occurred.

"Sgt. Milkin put himself in harm's way in service to his country," Maleng said. "He had no reason to fear for the safety of his family back home in a peaceful neighborhood in Kirkland."

Court documents say detectives found a hunting knife believed to be the murder weapon in the victims' home. In addition, video from a surveillance camera at a nearby gas station shows him filling two gas containers before the fire was set, the documents say.

Kirkland police said that a resident of the neighborhood, Sean Winter, became concerned when he heard that four people had died in the fire and Schierman didn't answer his door. Winter thought perhaps Schierman had tried to save the family.

Winter let himself into Schierman's house using a spare key and found Schierman lying on his bed, his face covered by a pillow. Schierman told Winter he wasn't feeling well and kept the pillow over his face.

Although investigators have declined to discuss to what extent the defendant knew the victims, Maleng said "There is compelling evidence of premeditation." He declined to elaborate.

Maleng said he will give "serious consideration" to seeking the death penalty. He has 30 days to make that decision.

Information from The Associated Press is included in this report.