Suspect in 2001 slayings charged again

A man suspected in the slaying of a Des Moines couple, their grandson and his girlfriend in 2001 may be coming closer to trial.

After lengthy appeals and a foray into the mental-health system, Leemah Carneh, now 26, has been charged again with four counts of aggravated murder in the deaths of Richard and Leola Larson, their grandson, Taelor Marks, and his girlfriend, Josie Peterson, in March 2001.

Carneh was first charged with the murders in 2001 and pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Attorneys spent the next five years addressing the question of Carneh's mental competency to stand trial. Western State Hospital claimed Carneh was competent, but experts for the defense believed otherwise.

All attorneys agreed that he would benefit from additional mental-health treatment. In 2006, King County Superior Court Judge Michael Spearman dismissed murder charges against Carneh and found him not competent to stand trial and ordered him to be civilly committed to Western State Hospital. Carneh was subsequently diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

In October, hospital officials notified prosecutors that Carneh was ready to be allowed out on the hospital grounds without supervision and possibly be released into the community. Competency to stand trial depends on the suspect being able to assist in his own defense and to understand the proceedings. The letter to the prosecutors invited them to refile charges at any time.

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