Update: South Park murder suspect pleads not guilty

From seattletimes.com: The arraignment in King County Superior Court is over, and 23-year-old Isaiah Kalebu has pleaded not guilty to charges including aggravated murder (for which the penalty could be death) and rape. He is accused of breaking into the South Park home of 39-year-old Teresa Butz and her partner in the early-morning hours of July 19 and attacking them; Butz did not survive. He was arrested less than a week later, after he was identified through DNA. He remains jailed in lieu of $10 million bail, and remains under investigation in a Pierce County fire that killed two people last month, including the aunt who had kicked him out days earlier.

Jim August 12, 2009 (10:33 am)

if they found him using DNA for the arrest, i wonder what his angle is in pleading “not guilty?” DNA evidence is hard to disprove.

not cool August 12, 2009 (10:58 am)

Give me a freaking break! He is going to claim insanity. I hope they lock him away forever.

Vanessa C August 12, 2009 (1:33 pm)

I’m not sure what Ghandi and Buddah would do, but this individual needs to put out of our misery and his misery and give him the death penalty. Why should we pay to keep him fed and clothed in a prison hospital? If he is mentally ill, well, just like a dog with dis-temper, it’s called euthanasia. He’s using up extra oxygen…….

cclarue August 12, 2009 (2:10 pm)

Teresa didnt get a jury trial to decide her fate. He did it. and ended her life. she had no public defender. i like the idea of euthanizing him on the spot. just like he took her life. on the spot. sometimes things just dont make any sense.

WTF August 12, 2009 (2:13 pm)

Fry the mfer. I wholheartedly, gleefully volunteer to flip the switch. Insanity my ass; he knew exactly what he was doing, knew it was wrong, and intentionally did it all. He’s worthless and has no reason to be anywhere but where he is right now until the green mile approaches.

Lachlan August 12, 2009 (2:51 pm)

Pleading not guilty gives his attorney(s) time to gather info to mount a defense, which may or may not mitigate his sentencing. A lot will depend on what can be made of his mental status at the time and whether Satterberg goes for the death penalty.

The man is guilty. He will be convicted (barring any prosecutorial mistakes) and punished. But it somehow feels like not enough. It never is.

JenV August 12, 2009 (4:26 pm)

if it were up to me to decide his fate, he would be repeatedly raped, then stabbed to death. eye for an eye. I can only hope that this happens in prison and saves the expense of keeping his sorry ass alive.

changingtimes August 12, 2009 (5:03 pm)

“I’m not sure what Ghandi and Buddah would do” what do you mean by this vanessa?

Vanessa C August 12, 2009 (8:14 pm)

Dear ChangingTimes, I am conflicted by wishing an “eye for an eye” etc…then both end up blind. I can’t even kill a spider, I’ll catch it and put it back out in nature. I have a hard time wishing another person to be killed for the killing he caused. I should wish for non violence….but am confused in my heart to wish for him to be put to death. I hope some of this makes sense…Thank U.

homesweethome August 14, 2009 (7:24 am)

Eye for an eye…maybe all women of West Seattle and South Park should start wearing burquas? We are lucky to live in a country where a forum such as WSB allows citizens to write comments such as those here without recrimination from government. Yes, while the crime commited is heinous, everyone in this country has the right to a trial — a right that often is taken lightly.

Sorry, comment time is over.