Teen in Whaley case reaches plea agreement

By Matt Pordum (contact)

Thursday, July 1, 2004 | 8:14 a.m.

One of the four teenagers accused of killing their 17-year-old friend and burying him in the desert reached a plea agreement with prosecutors on Wednesday, admitting to cleaning blood off a co-defendant's jacket and providing gasoline to burn clothes and other evidence.

Stephen Stringfield, 18, pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor destruction of evidence. As part of the deal, Stringfield has agreed to testify in the trials of others accused in the case.

Stringfield could be sentenced to as little as three years' probation or up to a year in jail.

The district attorney's office retained the right to argue about what sentence Stringfield should receive when District Judge Donald Mosley sentences him on Sept. 15, 2005.

Stringfield admitted to helping clean blood spots off 18-year-old Matthew Baker's jacket after Silverado High School student Jared Whaley was killed. He also admitted to giving Baker gasoline, which was later used to burn clothes and other evidence. Stringfield told Mosley that he knew the blood on the clothes was there as a result of an illegal activity.

Stringfield was originally charged with conspiracy to commit murder, first-degree kidnapping with a deadly weapon, murder with the use of a deadly weapon and robbery with use of a deadly weapon in connection with Whaley's death.

Whaley was taken out to the desert outside Boulder City and shot in the head and in the stomach on Oct. 14, police said.

Baker, Cody Myers, 18, and his brother, Shane Myers, 18, are all facing those same charges for Whaley's death.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Owens said the plea agreement was the result of carefully examining Stringfield's involvement in the crime.

"As far as Mr. Stringfield, we spent a lot of time on his involvement in the case, and we determined it was limited to conversation before the crime and what he pleaded guilty to, destroying some evidence after the crime," Owens said.

After examining the cases against Shane Myers and Baker, however, Owens and the district attorney's office reached a much different conclusion. Owens said the district attorney's office has filed a motion of intent to seek the death penalty for both Baker and Shane Myers.

Instead of releasing Stringfield on his own recognizance, Mosley set bail at $100. Mosley reminded Stringfield that if the teen doesn't show up for his sentencing date he will be sent to prison for one to six years.

Stringfield had spent four months in jail leading up to Wednesday's hearing.

Stringfield's attorney, Jason Wiener, said he was just happy he was finally able to negotiate an acceptable deal for his client.

"Originally, before the preliminary hearing, we were offered 10 to 25 years. We think this is a fair and reasonable solution and look forward to getting him out so he can move on with his life."