Teen agrees to murder plea in October White Center shooting

A 16-year-old boy accused of shooting and killing a man during a White Center burglary last fall has agreed to plead guilty in adult court to second-degree murder.

Jonathan Newman was charged with first-degree murder in juvenile court shortly after Craig Hoffman was slain when he interrupted a burglary in his home Oct. 19, 2007. But this morning his case was remanded to adult court, where King County prosecutors plan to ask that he receive up to 23 years in prison for the slaying. During a hearing in King County Juvenile Court this morning the teen told Judge Leroy McCullough that he understood what was happening in his case. Defense attorney Christopher Carney and Deputy Prosecutor Amy Montgomery signed off on an agreement that the case be remanded to adult court with the stipulation that Newman would plead guilty to second-degree murder with a firearm.

Montgomery told the court that her office has a strong case against Newman. She said that two other teens arrested in the case have pleaded guilty in juvenile court and promised to testify against Newman. "This is a serious violent offense committed two months before the suspect's 16th birthday," Montgomery said.

According to charging papers, the three teens saw Hoffman, 46, drive away from his home on the morning of Oct. 19 and Newman entered through an open garage. He then let the other two boys in through the front door. When Hoffman returned a short time later the boys raced out of the house with stolen items in hand, court documents said.

Montgomery said that Newman shot Hoffman as the homeowner was chasing the teens off his property.

Montgomery also said in court that Newman committed nearly 20 burglaries in the months before Hoffman's death. She said that he stored what he took in a mobile home on his parent's property, and that some items were sold and the rest were traded for drugs.

Newman's attorney declined to comment about the case.

Jennifer Sullivan: 206-464-8294 or jensullivan@seattletimes.com