A man pleaded not guilty over the death of his wife due to his mental insanity. However, the court judge ruled, he will not be able to receive her retirement benefits. His wife's twin sister wants to keep the pension from her sister's killer on receiving her retirement benefits.She fought and won the favor in order to keep the said pension.
murdered his wife, Carol Selland, stabbing her to death back in the year 2011, Yahoo News reported. Selland pleaded not guilty to the charges by the reason of his mental insanity problem and admitted as a patient at Western State Hospital. However, according to the state's slayer law, it is preventing murderers from profiting to their victim's death.
The Washington state judge ruled the said law. Newser also reported, Selland is about to received his wife's $21,000 retirement beneficiaries from her pension fund. Cheyl Gacek, Carrol Selland's twin sister, said she was against it. "That isn't right. He killed her. He shouldn't get a penny of it," she said. After she fought and won the trial against her twin sister's husband, Gacek received the money and said, she will distribute it to Carol's three children.
The Thurston County Superior Court Judge Gary Tabor explains the "slayer statute" applies to the Selland's case. According to News Tribune, Gacek is her twin's sister's primary beneficiary. She also demanded that the Legislature should make the law clear to all. Sen. Bruce Dammeier, R-Puyallup introduces Senate Bill 6091, including not guilty murderers to put under the slayer statute law.
State senators have unanimously sent a bill clarifying the slayer law to the House. Dammeier said, "Sometimes it takes an appalling case for us to see the gaps in state law. This bill will ensure we will never have a case like it again, and it should bring closure to Mrs. Selland's family."
