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Trial for Yancy Noll murder slated for February

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Bowman at a hearing in 2012 (Image: CHS)

The man who allegedly gunned down Broadway Market QFC wine steward Yancy Noll last year is slated to got to trial February 24, 2014, according to court documents.

Noll died just under a year ago in the August 31st, 2012 shooting.

Thomasdinh Bowman, 31, was charged with first-degree murder last September in what King County prosecutors have called a “thrill kill” case. If convicted, prosecutors say Bowman, a former child prodigy and onetime resident of the E Republican Melrose Terrace co-op building, will face up to 31 years in prison.

Charging documents also indicated that Bowman’s wife may have misled police during their investigation. Don Donohoe, spokesperson for the King County Prosecutor, told CHS she has not been charged in the case. According to police, investigators found Bowman’s car had a new passenger-side window and new tires that Bowman had paid for in cash following Noll’s death. The old tires, which matched skid marks from the shooting scene, were found wrapped in plastic at Bowman’s workplace. According to police documents, Bowman’s wife told detectives her husband replaced the window in Portland a day after Noll’s death. Detectives also found a receipt in her purse for the new tires purchased in Lynnwood. According to the police report, the manager at the Lynnwood tire shop told investigators Bowman did not need to replace his tires and insisted on taking the old tires with him.

Bowman’s defense attorney John Henry Browne entered a plea of not guilty on charges Bowman gunned down Noll in his vehicle just blocks from each of their homes. According to charging documents, Bowman pulled his car next to Noll’s at 15th Ave NE and 75th and shot Noll in the head. The two men are believed to have never met prior to the shooting.

A memorial for Noll at 85th and (Image: ravennablog.com with permission to CHS)

A memorial for Noll at the intersection where he was shot and killed (Image: ravennablog.com with permission to CHS)

CHS reported on early evidence collected by police on Bowman including what prosecutors have called a sophisticated effort to conceal his BMW Z4 convertible and the suspect’s enthusiasm for guns. Witnesses helped police develop a detailed sketch of the Bowman and provided a description of the BMW seen speeding away from the shooting scene at 15th Ave NE and 75th. Bowman was arrested following weeks of investigation and surveillance of his North Seattle home just blocks from where Noll was gunned down

Bowman is currently being held on a whopping $10 million bail. He was initially held without bail, but Bowman’s attorney argued he had a right to post bail and go on house arrest. In January King County Superior Court Judge Ronald Kessler set the high bail after describing the fatal shooting as “extremely violent and astonishingly pointless.”

Noll is remembered as an avid outdoorsman and a friendly face at the Broadway Market QFC where he worked as wine steward since 2010.

UPDATE 2/26/14: The trial schedule has been pushed back to April.

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16 Comments
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Privateadvocacy
Privateadvocacy
10 years ago

The wheels of justice turn slowly

Kelly
Kelly
10 years ago

The Washington legal code says punishment for first degree murder is life imprisonment. Where did this sentence of up to 31 years come from? http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9A.32.040

Dana
Dana
10 years ago
Reply to  Kelly

I don’t know, but such a low max sentence is criminal. I think it’s being classified as a “vehicular” homicide, which has lower sentences. I could be wrong, but that’s my guess.

Seth
Seth
10 years ago
Reply to  Kelly

Because the killer is a mong(read azn dude)and the victim was a White man.

Some Guy
Some Guy
10 years ago
Reply to  Seth

Fucking racist.

Stacy
Stacy
10 years ago
Reply to  Kelly

“Life” in prison does not mean their entire life, it’s a set number of years. That’s how the green river killer has something like 25 life sentences in a row. I have also seen some comments to the effect of Dihn being Asian and the victim is white. Dihn was born and raised in America and it’s all about the severity of the crime, not race.

Kelly
Kelly
10 years ago
Reply to  Stacy

Thank you Stacy. You are right, only “life without the possibility of parole” actually means the rest of one’s life, and otherwise it is a set number of years. I think in WA that number is only 20 years (crazy, huh?) so there must be other charges against him to make it 31. Not enough for this crime, IMO.

The racist comment by Seth was ridiculous and offensive. Racial bias is well documented in law enforcement and the justice system, but it’s against minorities, not in favor of them.

GiGi
GiGi
10 years ago

I too think the sentence is low, considering Yancy was shot down in cold blood. And I still think the wife should’ve been charged; she lied to help cover up the crime (though maybe she’s since cooperated). It makes me nervous that John Henry Browne is representing this guy; I expect he’ll ask for “leniency” like he’s doing for Robert Bales.

Sean
Sean
10 years ago

Looking forward to the day this master thug hugger/attention seeking defense attorney retires.

Cody
Cody
10 years ago

Just execute that piece of filth and move on. That’s all he deserves.

Joe
Joe
10 years ago

Thanks for covering this story. This is the only site I found with an update on the trial date.

Mike Noll
Mike Noll
10 years ago

Thank you for covering this story. The people of Seattle deserve to see justice done. Bowman is a flat out KILLER who is a serious danger to society.

Darcy
Darcy
10 years ago

I’ve had today marked on my calendar for a long time, but it doesn’t look like the trial will begin today. The “Yancy Noll Memorial Page” on Facebook has a recent post that says the trial is set to begin in April and that the page will be updated when information becomes available. Hoping justice will prevail.

Kirby
Kirby
10 years ago

I’ve been trying to find out when this scumbag is showing up in court. I thought it was supposed to show up in court yesterday?

jseattle
Admin
10 years ago
Reply to  Kirby

Trial pushed back to April

Darcy
Darcy
10 years ago
Reply to  Kirby

I read it was moved to April too. I’ve been following the Yancy Noll Memorial Page on Facebook and they might have the most recent info:

https://www.facebook.com/YancyNollMemorialPage