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Man sentenced in Pierce County murder case of 'vigilante justice run amok'

Published  October 23, 2015 6:01pm PDT
Associated Press



TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A man who shot and killed an accused car thief in what prosecutors called a case of "vigilante justice run amok" has been sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Pierce County prosecutors say 34-year-old Christopher William Olsen was sentenced Friday for the February 2014 killing of 24-year-old Robert Ward in Frederickson.

Olsen reportedly told two friends that Ward had stolen his truck, prompting the trio to set up a phony drug deal to attack Ward and take the car back.

But prosecutors say when Ward arrived Olsen pulled up behind him and started firing shots. As Ward attempted to drive away, Olsen fatally shot him.

A jury convicted him of first-degree murder earlier this month. Prosecutors say Olsen has 16 prior felony convictions.