Not-guilty plea in Webb case

The man accused of killing former radio talk-show host Mike Webb pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder Monday in King County Superior Court.

Scott White, 28, had been living with Webb in a Queen Anne home for six months when, court documents allege, he killed Webb with an ax and hid his body in the crawl space. Webb's body was found there June 28.

Webb, 51, met White in November and offered him a place to stay while he worked through drug treatment. Webb himself had been through treatment once and was sympathetic, especially to those in the gay and lesbian community.

Webb hadn't been seen since April and was reported missing in May. Prosecutors say White text-messaged Webb's friends and family, posing as Webb, saying that he was out of town. They say he pawned some of Webb's personal items and used his debit card.

A tip led police to Webb's body.

The autopsy conducted by the King County Medical Examiner's Office determined that Webb had stab wounds to the chest, neck and shoulder and five lengthy lacerations across his face.

White could face more than 28 years if convicted as charged. He is being held in the King County Jail on $1 million bail.

Webb was host of a late-night talk show on KIRO radio until he was fired after he was charged with insurance fraud. He was sentenced to 240 hours of community service in February.

Webb had worked for KIRO for 10 years before he had a traffic accident in June 2005 and bought an insurance policy a day later, trying to claim the accident happened after the policy went into effect.

King County prosecutors charged him with insurance fraud in December 2005, and he was immediately fired from the radio station. A King County judge declared a mistrial after some of the jurors saw Webb handcuffed outside the courthouse where police said he was "irrational and irate." Webb was found guilty in a second trial.

Nancy Bartley: 206-464-8522 or nbartley@seattletimes.com