OLYMPIA, WA – Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on Tuesday reversed a decision by former Gov. Jay Inslee to allow a man convicted of a triple murder more than four decades ago to be released from state prison.
Inslee’s decision drew backlash from victims’ families and Republicans.
Timothy Pauley is serving consecutive life sentences for a deadly armed robbery at a SeaTac tavern in 1980 that ended with the deaths of three employees — Loran Dowell, Robert Pierre and Linda Burford — and two other women being severely assaulted.
Pauley was 21 at the time of the crime. He is now 66 and was set to be released from state prison Thursday.
In an order Tuesday, the governor acknowledged Pauley had worked to better himself while in prison the past four-plus decades. But he questioned whether Pauley had recently apologized for his crimes “from a place of true remorse rather than self-interest in being paroled.”
“I am unconvinced that Mr. Pauley is truly rehabilitated and fit for release at this time,” Ferguson continued.
The state Indeterminate Sentence Review Board approved Pauley’s release in 2022, sending the question to Inslee.
But after meeting with the victims’ families and Dave Reichert, who was one of the detectives on the case in 1980 before becoming King County sheriff, Inslee canceled parole for Pauley, despite his work to rehabilitate himself in custody.
Similar to Ferguson, Inslee argued Pauley, who is currently held at the Monroe Correctional Complex, hadn’t shown remorse for his actions.
But in January, on his last day in office, Inslee reversed course, paving the way for Pauley’s parole.
In the past week, the victims’ families, the state House Republican leader and the mayor of Bonney Lake, where Pauley could have lived after release, urged Ferguson to block Pauley’s parole.
Reps. Drew Stokesbary and Joshua Penner, whose shared district includes Bonney Lake, called on Ferguson to stay true to his campaign rhetoric of standing up for crime survivors.
“If you stand by and allow Pauley to be freed after brutally murdering three people and irreparably damaging two others, those words will ring hollow — not just to his victims and their families, but to crime victims and families everywhere,” they wrote in a letter to the governor on Monday. “And you will be responsible for unleashing a fresh wave of devastating emotional trauma on the victims’ families.”
“Governor Ferguson, this is a defining moment for your administration,” the lawmakers continued.
The victims’ families met with Ferguson on Monday.
Asked about his decision Tuesday, Ferguson said, “I think my letter speaks for itself.” He believed this was the only case of its kind his office was reviewing.
Pauley’s attorney didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Pauley, Timothy – Cancellation of ISRB Order of Parole (signed)
A copy of Gov. Bob Ferguson’s March 25, 2025 order canceling parole for Timothy Pauley.
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