Federal Way teen’s murder trial moved to 2020

Published 2:30 pm Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Robbrie Thompson, a 16-year-old Federal Way resident accused of murdering Puyallup store owner Soon Ja Nam, will now stand trial on Feb. 19, 2020.

Paula Olson, one of Thompson’s attorneys, said they requested a new trial date to have more time to prepare their defense.

The trial was originally scheduled to begin June 18, 2019, at Pierce County Superior Court.

Thompson stands accused of several charges including first degree murder of the Handy Corner Food Store owner. Thompson, who will be tried as an adult, has pleaded not guilty.

Thompson is one of two suspects in the April 27 killing. The body of the second suspect — 16-year-old Franklin Thuo — was found washed up on the shoreline of Chinook Landing Marina along Marine View Drive in northeast Tacoma on April 29, according to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department. Thuo was killed by a single gunshot wound to the head, which the medical examiner ruled a homicide.

Previous coverage of this case can be found at federalwaymirror.com.