Idaho Kidnapper To Admit To 4 Killings

(AP)  Lawyers for Joseph Edward Duncan III said Wednesday he will admit to the murder of 9-year-old Dylan Groene in Montana and to three slayings in Idaho — if prosecutors will drop the death penalty option.

In a letter to Kootenai County, Idaho, Prosecutor Bill Douglas, Duncan's lawyers said their client will cooperate fully with law enforcement officers, even though he will face a possible death sentence in federal court later.

"Mr. Duncan will admit to the intentional killing of Dylan Groene in Montana in the early part of 2005, as well as all other crimes committed against Shasta and Dylan Groene," said the letter, given to The Associated Press and signed by public defenders John Adams and Roger Peven.

Douglas did not immediately respond to the letter, dated Oct. 4, but has consistently rejected a plea bargain for Duncan.

Duncan is accused of killing the children's mother, their 13-year old brother, and their mother's boyfriend in May 2005 at their home near Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. His trial on those counts is to begin Monday in 1st District Court in Coeur d'Alene.

Court documents allege Duncan, who spent most of his adult life in Washington prisons for sexual crimes against children, committed the slayings so he could kidnap the two children for sex.

Duncan allegedly took the two children to a primitive campsite in Montana, and Dylan was killed at some point. Shasta, now 9, was rescued at a Denny's restaurant in Coeur d'Alene after seven weeks of captivity.

Peven said Duncan is willing to plead guilty to spare Shasta Groene the trauma of having to testify in court against him.

"It's the right thing to do," Peven told The Associated Press. "Mr. Duncan doesn't advantage himself in any way."

Duncan understands that by making the confessions, he will make it easier for the federal government to convict him of expected charges of kidnapping and murder in the abduction of Shasta and Dylan when the state case concludes, Peven said.

[squiz2]

This is why there needs to be stricter punishment for *** offenders/rapists/child molesters. There should be NO possible way for these a*holes to get out of prison after being convicted of these crimes. There are far too many cases of convicted *** offenders being released from prison only to commit far worse crimes of rape, kidnap, and murder. If they did it once, they will do it again. Keep them in prison for life. A little bit of jail time isn't going to make them re-evaluate the situation and think "Oh, I did a bad thing, I'll change my life." It only gives them a chance to do it again, or do something far worse. We need to reform our judicial system.

[keemosobby]

"Jet" Duncan needs to be put on a rocket to hell. The sooner the better. This guy is the incarnation of all that is pure evil.

[bizzybirdy]

Oh, no! You mean I will have to help support still another sick child murderer/molester in jail getting free food, recreation, housing, etc. for the rest of his life??? WHY don't someone just shoot the jerk and save us the cost of paying all those lawyers??

[cantshutup]

this sick bass terd should get no plea bargains, he'd probably "get off" seeing the little girl whose family he destroyed testify...the sooner they inject this worthless monster the better