The infamous 2010 Craigslist murder case in Pierce County, Washington saw a major development as Amanda Knight, one of the primary defendants, received a significantly reduced sentence on Friday following the overturn of her murder conviction.
Knight, now 36, originally sentenced to nearly 72 years in prison, will now serve 32.5 years after the Washington State Supreme Court ruled there was insufficient evidence to support her murder conviction as presented to the jury. The resentencing hearing took place at Pierce County Superior Court, where emotions ran high among victims’ family members and observers.
The case gained national attention in 2010 when Jim Sanders, a 43-year-old father of two, was killed during a home invasion that began with a Craigslist advertisement for a diamond ring. Knight and three accomplices targeted the Sanders family home in Edgewood, using the ring sale as a pretext to gain entry. The situation turned violent when Sanders was shot while attempting to protect his teenage son from being pistol-whipped.
Derek Sanders, the victim’s brother, expressed frustration at returning to court after 14 years but acknowledged Knight’s apparent remorse. “She was young when she went in, but definitely able to make decisions,” he stated, noting that similar incidents had preceded the fatal robbery.
During the hearing, Knight’s defense emphasized her age at the time of the crime – 21 – arguing that her brain development wasn’t complete. They also highlighted her rehabilitation efforts in prison, including her work with the Prison Pet Partnership and as a technical drafter.
The reduced sentence primarily reflects the remaining convictions: two counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree assault, and first-degree burglary, along with five firearm enhancements.
Source: Yahoo News, January 11, 2025