Abrams' younger brother also charged with 2004 killing

EPHRATA — Prosecutors filed charges of first-degree murder and lesser alternatives against Dustin Gene Abrams' juvenile brother in connection with the shooting death of 79-year-old Michael Mallon in March 2004.

Brandon Timothy Pruitt, 17, is now charged in Grant County Juvenile Court with the same killing his brother, 23-year-old Abrams of Moses Lake, pleaded guilty to Friday in Grant County Superior Court.

Pruitt, who was living with his father in Othello, made his first court appearance Wednesday in juvenile court in front of Grant County Superior Court Judge Ken Jorgensen.

Public defender Jaime M. Hawk represented Pruitt, requesting his $100,000 bail be cut in half. Hawk said Pruitt was working 10-hour days with his father washing trucks during a graveyard shift and posed no flight risk.

Grant County Deputy Prosecutor Carole L. Highland also filed lesser alternative charges against Pruitt, including second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, robbery, burglary, theft of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm and juvenile in possession of a firearm.

Highland said Pruitt, who was 14 years old when Mallon was murdered, posed a flight risk, based on the seriousness of the charges filed against him and a possible 26-year prison sentence if found guilty.

Abrams was charged with aggravated first-degree murder, but pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree murder in a plea agreement with prosecutors. He was sentenced Wednesday to 24 years in prison for Mallon's murder by visiting Douglas County Superior Court Judge John Hotchkiss.

Abrams also pleaded guilty, as part of the plea deal, to two separate and unrelated second-degree malicious mischief charges, stemming from incidents in Grant County Jail as he awaited his murder trial. He's remained in the jail since June 2005.

Grant County Prosecutor John Knodell requested Abrams' sentence be a total of 24 years, for the three charges.

Abrams already pleaded guilty, in June 2004, to stealing several vintage firearms, some old coins and a generator from Mallon, receiving a sentence of 30 months in prison for the theft.

Authorities believe Mallon, a retired state employee and World War II Army veteran who served in the Philippines, came home while Abrams was stealing the guns and coins. A shoot-out occurred, leaving Mallon dead.

According to a March 2005 Grant County Sheriff's Office report, filed with charging documents, Pruitt said in an April 2004 taped statement to detectives that he rode along with his brother when the guns and coins were stolen.

Abrams entered an Alford plea in the murder case, meaning he doesn't admit guilt but concedes he would likely be convicted if the case went to trial.

Highland told Jorgensen that Abrams may not be the "trigger man" in the shooting, leaving the door open for it possibly being Pruitt.

"Mr. Abrams didn't feel like he should take the fall for Mr. Pruitt," Highland told Jorgensen.

Pruitt turned himself in to authorities Tuesday after a warrant was issued for his arrest, said Chief Criminal Deputy John Turley. He was booked into Grant County youth services, Turley said.

Jorgensen ordered his bail remain at $100,000.

A declination hearing in Pruitt's case was set for April 10.