Alcohol Abuse Advice

Question by vicka: Has anyone heard of the Kirkland recent murder of this one family with a wife and two kids?
I’ve read stories. This guy stabbed a women and her two young kids to death. Then set the house on fire. Do you guys have anything to say to this? I say it’s sad ’cause the dad came all the way from somewhere and see’s pics of his family..
Be seirous please. Thank you so far.

Best answer:

Answer by Jennifer B
Kirkland murder suspect says he blacked out, woke up among victims’ bodies
By Noel S. Brady and Erica Hall
The King County Journal
July 21
The 24-year-old man arrested in the brutal stabbings of four members of a Kirkland family told police he awoke in his neighbor’s home Monday morning covered in blood, with their butchered bodies strewn around him. Conner Michael Schierman said he had blacked out some time Sunday morning after a binge of heavy drinking, documents filed Thursday in King County Superior Court say.

When he awoke to the carnage that was left, he said, he panicked and doused the house with gasoline and set it ablaze to conceal his crime.

A judge Thursday set bail for Schierman at $ 4 million. On Monday, prosecutors plan to file charges of arson and four counts of aggravated first-degree murder in the deaths of Olga Milkin, her two young boys, Justin and Andrew, and her sister, Lyuba Botvina.

Schierman could face the death penalty if convicted.

But even as Schierman, a 2000 graduate of Newport High School, appeared in shackles in a King County courtroom, a portrait drawn from interviews with friends and employers emerged of a vastly different person – a young man described as caring, introspective, a nice guy and a gentleman.

But drinking – and blackouts – were also part of that portrait.

Meanwhile, as Kirkland police continued their investigation on Slater Avenue Northeast, where Schierman recently moved into a duplex directly across from the Milkins’ home, Sgt. Leonid Milkin made his first visit home.

Just in from Iraq where he has been serving with the Washington National Guard, Milkin arrived about noon Thursday at the charred remains of the house he and his wife Olga had been remodeling. Still wearing his combat fatigues, he entered the building with investigators.

In his own writings on the Internet, Schierman reveals himself as “a product of divorce and abuse,” and a friend said his father was alcoholic.

He also wrote of his own recent struggle with alcoholism followed by a period of deep self-examination and recovery. His words hint at his inner turmoil, but they offer no warning of what prosecutors believe was about to explode.

“I don’t know if there is something below the surface,” said Senior King County Deputy Prosecutor Scott O’Toole. “We’re still trying to figure that out.

“As far as I know right now, he’s the only suspect,” O’Toole said. “He admits to setting the fire. He admits to leaving the victims’ house covered in blood.”

At 6 feet and 210 pounds, Schierman shuffled into a small courtroom Thursday afternoon at the King County Jail in Seattle, wearing handcuffs, leg irons and special, white jail uniform emblazoned with the words “Ultra Security Inmate.”

Several of his dozen or so friends and relatives who came to see his first court appearance broke down in tears and held each other as Schierman rounded a corner to face the judge.

“It’s a very tragic case,” said defense attorney James Conroy. “He has support from the community. He has had no involvement with the criminal justice system whatsoever.”

Investigators first declared the house fire a crime scene a few hours after the flames were extinguished Monday, when a fire dog detected the presence of some type of fuel accelerant in several areas of the house.

At least two witnesses who said they saw Schierman outside the house shortly before the fire erupted helped lead police to him, O’Toole said.

They identified Schierman by his tattoos and several prominent scratches on his face, which he sustained when his victims tried to fight him off, the prosecutor said.

The King County medical examiner found defensive wounds on the hands and arms of all four victims, O’Toole said. Milkin, her sister and 5-year-old son Justin each were found with numerous stab wounds to their face and neck areas. Three-year-old Andrew’s throat was slit.

“The damage done to the victims and their bodies was pretty horrendous and complete,” O’Toole said.

Police served a search warrant Wednesday at Schierman’s residence directly across the street from the Milkins’ house. Schierman was then arrested in the Rose Hill area.

According to court documents, police recovered a knife when they arrested him. But it was unclear if police believe it to be a knife used in the murders. No description of the knife was available.

Meanwhile, friends and co-workers struggled to comprehend the possibility that a man they knew as thoughtful and hard-working could be arrested for such brutal crimes. Though some knew of his drinking problem, no one ever thought he could be capable of such violence.

“He’s a really nice guy. He’s definitely a gentleman. Always opened the doors for people,” said a friend who asked that she not be named. “As far as I can tell they have the wrong guy.”

Sue Gemmill, the property manager at Carillon Properties in Kirkland, where Schierman has worked since February 2005, called him “a really good employee. … We’re just as shocked as everybody else in the community.”

His former employer Carl McGavran, manager of Sierra Fish and Pets in Factoria, said Schierman was a good worker, but had a drinking problem that eventually spiraled out of control.

Schierman was drinking so much he was blacking out, and he stopped showing up for work. “He didn’t come into work for a week or more and he knew that was that. At some point after that, he went into rehab,” McGavran said.

From rehab, Schierman went to a halfway house, where he apparently did quite well. McGavran didn’t see Schierman during that time, but the two shot pool together recently. Schierman appeared to be staying clean.

“Probably the last three times we’ve shot pool, he didn’t drink a drop,” McGavran said.

He said Schierman didn’t mention that anything was bothering him. “He talked to me about his job and he seemed to be really happy about the work. Some guy was showing him the ropes,” he said.

He said Schierman also seemed excited to be moving into the duplex at 9523 Slater Ave.

Police don’t know, or won’t say, if Schierman had any contact with Olga Milkin or any of the other victims prior to the murders.

After months of problems with his previous tenants, complaints from Milkin and other neighbors of loud partying and fast driving finally led the landlord to evict the residents of both units in the modest, gray duplex.

About two months ago, Schierman’s younger sister, Kinsey, and her friend Sean Winter moved into one of the units. Schierman moved in about a month later on July 1, the landlord said.

The problems, and complaints, stopped. After the amount of partying that had been going on at the house before, neighbors said, they were happy that Schierman seemed quiet and well-mannered.

Schierman’s landlord said Olga Milkin spoke to the man at least once before.

“She had spoken to him. I don’t know to what extent,” said the landlord who spoke on condition he not be identified.

Milkin told him she liked the new tenants, including Schierman. She said she offered him the use of her row boat on nearby Forbes Lake.

“He told me he was clean and sober,” he said of Schierman. “He had good references, no criminal problems.

“It’s hard to believe that somebody that appeared so good could turn on a dime like that.”

Olga’s husband, Leonid, arrived at the neighborhood Thursday in a black civilian SUV just before noon.

He stopped at the memorial in front, got out and looked at the photos and flowers, surrounded by family members. Shortly afterward, he got back in the car, which was driven by a family friend, and left the area.

John Petrus, Olga’s brother-in-law, said the Army and his family are helping Leonid.

“The family is staying together,” he said.

Noel Brady can be reached at [email protected] or 425-453-4252. Erica Hall can be reached at 425-453-4234 or [email protected].

Service on Sunday

# A memorial service for the slain Milkin family members will be held at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at The City Church in Kirkland, at 9051 132nd Ave. N.E.

Memorial Fund

# A memorial fund for the family of the victims has been established. Donations may be made to the Milkin Family fund at any US Bank branch.

Police Tip Line

# Anyone with information that might help police solve this crime is asked to call the Kirkland Police Department at 425-587-3515.

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