Guilty plea in slaying of armored-car guard at Wal-Mart

The man accused of fatally shooting a Loomis armored-car guard during a robbery at a Lakewood Wal-Mart in June pleaded guilty this morning to aggravated first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, assault and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Calvin Finley, 35, was accused of killing Kurt Husted on June 2. He agreed to plead guilty to avoid facing the death penalty, according to Mark Lindquist, chief criminal deputy for the Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors have already said they would not seek the death penalty against three co-defendants who have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The co-defendants — Marshawn A. Turpin, 20; Odies D. Walker, 41; and Tonie Marie Williams-Irby, 42 — are also charged with robbery and aggravated first-degree murder, the only charge in Washington punishable by death.

If convicted as charged, they will face life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Prosecutors had until Friday to decide whether to seek the death penalty against Finley.

According to police and prosecutors, Williams-Irby was a floor manager at Wal-Mart who planned the robbery with Walker, her boyfriend, and then recruited Finley and Turpin.

Christine Clarridge: 206-464-8983 or cclarridge@seattletimes.com