Amid courtroom disruptions, Thompson sentenced to life for 2004 murder

Curtis Thompson, a convicted sex predator already facing life in prison for a 2004 crime spree, was sentenced this morning to life in prison for killing a Seattle woman in the Sand Point neighborhood nearly five years ago.

The sentence caps the third time that Thompson, 49, has faced a King County jury since October for a series of crimes he committed in August 2004 in Seattle. With convictions for assault, rape, kidnapping, as well as the murder, Thompson will serve multiple life sentences.

Jurors who found Thompson guilty last month of the first-degree murder of Deborah Byars, also found that the crime was sexually motivated. The crime resulted in a mandatory life sentence.

Byars, 45, was found stabbed to death in her apartment on Aug. 26, 2004.

The combative Thompson had to be forced to attend this morning's sentencing hearing, and was wheeled into the courtroom in a restraint chair, as he has throughout the court proceedings, At one point, he referred to Senior Deputy Prosecutor Scott O'Toole as "a punk." He claimed his prosecution was based on the vindictiveness of the media.

"I refuse to sit through this kangaroo process," he shouted.

Thompson became so disruptive that he was taken out of the courtroom before the sentence was announced.

At various points during his three trials, Thompson has threatened to kill Superior Court Judge Palmer Robinson, O'Toole, his attorney John Hicks, as well as relatives of his victims.

In February, a jury convicted Thompson of rape, burglary and vehicle theft for breaking into a woman's home on Aug. 17, 2004, and raping her. After the assault, Thompson poured bleach on the woman's body in an attempt to hide evidence.

In October, another jury found him guilty of assaulting two women at a University District apartment building. The victims said Thompson followed them into the building on Aug. 23, 2004, forced them into an elevator, robbed one of her engagement ring and forced the other to remove her top.

After this morning's sentencing, Stephanie McAfee, 23, the daughter of Byars, said Thompson was pathetic for preying on women.

"My mom knew he was a coward," she said.

Penny Collingwood, Byars' sister, called the slaying senseless, horrific and cruel. "No one should ever have to go through what my little sister went through," she said.

Thompson had previously served an 18-year prison sentence for four rapes in 1985. Upon completing the sentence in 2003, he was freed by a jury although King County prosecutors wanted to send him to a secure-treatment facility for sexual offenders.

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

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.