Trial for triple murder reset

Proceedings to start April 26

Dennis Marvin Bauer. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

Dennis Marvin Bauer. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)

PORT ANGELES — A six-week trial for Dennis Marvin Bauer on charges of triple murder has been rescheduled from March 22 to April 26.

Clallam County Superior Court Judge Lauren Erickson reset the trial Friday.

Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michele Devlin had requested an April 12 trial for Bauer, and defense attorney Karen Unger had asked for an October trial, citing difficulties related to COVID-19.

All jury trials in Clallam County Superior Court are postponed though March 29 under an emergency order for the public health emergency.

In a Feb. 19 court hearing, Unger said the pandemic had interfered with her ability to meet with her client and share paperwork with Bauer.

Bauer is being held in the Clallam County jail on $3.5 million bail.

Devlin said she planned to call 90 witnesses and had more 8,883 pages of evidence.

Bauer was previously scheduled to go to trial on June 8, 2020, and Jan. 4, 2021.

Erickson said the court had “always been ready” for a trial.

Bauer is charged with three counts of first-degree premeditated murder and 18 weapons violations for the Dec. 26, 2018, shooting deaths of Tiffany May, 26, Darrell Iverson, 57, and Jordan Iverson, 27.

The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office alleges that Bauer and two co-defendants — Kallie Ann LeTellier, 36, and Ryan Warren Ward, 39 — committed the murders before ransacking Darrell Iverson’s home east of Port Angeles.

LeTellier, 36, was sentenced last November to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder with a firearm enhancement for May’s death.

Ward, 39, was sentenced last November to life in prison with no possibility of parole after pleading guilty to three counts of first-degree aggravated murder and 16 other counts related to the theft, sale or illegal possession of firearms.

In addition to the murders, Bauer is charged with seven counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, six counts of possessing a stolen firearm, four counts of theft of a firearm and one count of unlawful possession of firearm parts.

A pre-trial status conference was scheduled for March 9 on state motions.

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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.