Clarkston man pleads innocent to murder
Mar. 16—ASOTIN — The Clarkston man accused of killing his girlfriend pleaded innocent to all charges Monday in Asotin County Superior Court.
John C. Weber, who remains in jail on a $1 million bond on second-degree murder and tampering with evidence charges, has hired attorneys Mark Monson, of Moscow, and James Grow, of Lewiston, to represent him.
The 54-year-old Asotin County Regional Landfill employee was arrested by Clarkston police on March 7 after a suicide was reported at his residence on the 1100 block of Fifth Street. Kym Berreman, 50, was taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
"Right now, the little evidence we have seen does not support the state's case," Monson told the Lewiston Tribune. "It points to a suicide."
Weber appeared in court for his arraignment before Superior Court Judge Brooke Burns, and his next hearing is scheduled for April 5. Asotin County Prosecutor Ben Nichols is handling the case on behalf of the state.
According to court documents, Berreman had a gunshot wound to her head and was holding a pistol in her right hand when police and medics arrived. The initial investigation and information from paramedics and hospital staff led officers to believe the bullet had entered Berreman's left temple and exited the right side of her head.
However, at an autopsy conducted at the Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office last week, Dr. John Howard said the entry wound was actually to the right temple and the exit wound was to the left. In addition, Howard reportedly said he did not observe any blood on Berreman's right hand.
In a probable cause affidavit for a search warrant, Clarkston Detective Bryon Denny said because of the large amount of damage, blood should've been present on the hand of the person who pulled the trigger. The pistol had blood splatter along the entire length of the top rail, the detective said.
An investigation at the scene led officers to believe the death was suspicious, and the Washington State Patrol Crime Scene Response team was called to assist. Evidence has been collected and will be turned over to the defense as the court case proceeds.
The couple reportedly had been fighting, and it appeared Berreman was in the process of moving out. According to court documents, when the Clarkston police commander informed one of Berreman's family members that she had died, the relative immediately said, "John killed her."
Berreman was employed as a nurse at the Pullman Regional Hospital emergency room at the time of her death.
Sandaine may be contacted at kerris@lmtribune.com. Follow her on Twitter @newsfromkerri.
