By Associated Press - Tuesday, December 20, 2016

EVERETT, Wash. (AP) - A man charged with killing a rural Washington state couple and burying their remains will not face the death penalty if convicted.

The Seattle Times reports (https://goo.gl/x73VqU ) that The Snohomish County Prosecutor’s Office has decided it will not seek the death penalty against John Reed for the deaths of 46-year-old Monique Patenaude and 45-year-old Patrick Shunn.

Patenaude and Shunn were shot April 11 near Oso, a small community northeast of Seattle.

Reed, 54, pleaded not guilty in August to two counts of aggravated murder and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. Prosecutors say the couple was slain over a property feud.

Prosecutor Mark Roe had said he would decide by Tuesday whether to seek the death penalty.

Reed is scheduled to be tried in September.

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Information from: The Seattle Times, https://www.seattletimes.com

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