Lynnwood resident found guilty of trying to kill ex-wife, setting house on fire

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David Morgan enters the courtroom during his first trial in February.

After nearly two months of trials, a jury found Lynnwood resident man David Morgan guilty of the attempted murder and assault of his ex-wife, as well as arson for setting his own house on fire on Nov. 16, 2014.

Morgan’s ex-wife Brenda Welch was found inside the garage, on fire and lying in a pool of blood. She was barely breathing. Now, she is covered in burn scars, has lost her sense of taste and the ability to hear out of one ear, among other persisting health problems.

She doesn’t remember anything from that day, but deputy prosecutor Paul Stern said during closing arguments Monday that the marks on her body told the story for her. Stern said the broken bones in her skull indicated multiple blows, and the smell of gasoline indicated how her top could catch on fire while her pants and boots remained clean.

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Brenda Welch testifies in March during Morgan’s second trial.

Welch went to Morgan’s house to pick up their 8-year-old daughter, Kylie, around 7 p.m. on Nov. 16, 2014, which was her normal Sunday routine—but Kylie was at her grandmother’s house. Meanwhile, Morgan’s car was parked in front of the house, full of tax documents, family photos, prescriptions, home videos and stuffed animals.

Morgan first went to trial in February. A mistrial was declared after testimony was given by a fire marshal that his opinion was the fire was arson, instead of saying that arson was the only cause that could not be ruled out. The defense was not given that opinion, so the defense did not have the ability to call in a different expert witness to dispute that conclusion. Judge Joseph Wilson found that to be a violation of defendant’s rights and declared a mistrial. A second trial began in late March.

His sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 13.

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