Washington Gov Bob Ferguson cancels parole for triple murderer who was set for release by Jay Inslee

On Tuesday, Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson canceled the release of mass murderer Timothy Robert Pauley, which had been put into motion by his predecessor, former Governor Jay Inslee.

The day before, family members of the victims met with Ferguson and asked him to stop Pauley's release from prison that was scheduled for Thursday, March 27.

Ferguson wrote in his order that canceled Pauley's parole, "I am unconvinced that Mr. Pauley is truly rehabilitated and fit for release at this time. I respectfully disagree with the (Indeterminate Sentence Review Board) and former Governor Inslee and do not find that Mr. Pauley's rehabilitation is complete."

On his last day in office in January, Inslee rescinded an order he signed in 2022 after a massive pressure campaign to keep Pauley behind bars and instead allowed the murderer to be released from prison without ensuring safeguards for the victims’ families. The family found out that Inslee was releasing Pauley into their neighborhood the day after one of the victims’ families buried their mother, who survived the 1980 massacre.

Family members of Pauley’s victims told Hoffman that no one had informed them of Pauley’s release and that no restrictions had been placed on Pauley to keep him away from them.

On June 12, 1980, Pauley and Scott Carl Smith robbed the Barn Door Tavern in SeaTac, Washington, and killed two men and one woman in an attempt to leave no witnesses. Pauley has spent the past 40 years in prison, serving 3 life sentences and continuously failing to meet the terms for release. 

Kelley Tarp, one of the victim's daughters, previously told The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI, "They left that night believing that they had killed everybody," but her mother and a friend survived.

Pauley received three life sentences and has been petitioning for early release, but even though he had a clean record in prison, both men had multiple prior convictions, and the victims' family members said his "…rehabilitation is an act." Kelley told Hoffman, "We're the ones that served the life sentence, not him."

A February 9, 2012, letter from Pauley to his brother was described by the lawyers as an insight into Pauley’s “arrogance and self-entitlement.” Pauley was described as highly intelligent and has learned what to say and what not to say to “manipulate his surroundings.”