SPOKANE, Wash. — In front of a packed courtroom of loved ones and family members, convicted double murderer Justin Crenshaw was escorted in, in shackles for his resentencing hearing. Crenshaw was convicted of killing Tanner Pehl and Sarah Clark in 2008. He then set the Pehl family home on fire. A bloody fingerprint tied him to the crime scene.
Family members say Crenshaw was an acquaintance of the victims. He worked with Tanner at a local restaurant, and had only recently moved to Spokane before carrying out the brutal murders.
Since Crenshaw’s conviction in 2010, the state says he has had 18 serious infractions while incarcerated including four assaults, one of which resulted in the death of a fellow inmate.
Jamie Huguenin with the Department of Corrections was first to take the stand. She testified about Crenshaw’s behavior since being in custody.
“The first serious infraction was in November of 2010,” she said. “The next infraction was in September of 2011 for tattoo paraphernalia and an unauthorized tool.”
The next infraction came in 2013. Huguenin testified that was for gang affiliation. By 2014, he viciously attacked a fellow inmate.
“Homicide infraction is basically he assaulted another with the intent to murder them,” she testified. “That individual survived.”
The injuries were severe. Huguenin testified the 2014 attack consisted on Crenshaw stabbing the inmate 70 times. She said he also kicked the victim in the head, and even after incapacitated, Crenshaw continued to stab and attack the victim.
Crenshaw was later moved to a prison in Virginia. While there, Huguenin testified Crenshaw again attacked another inmate, this time fatally.
“It was on a cell mate,” she testified. “He was strangled and stomped in the face area…he succumbed to those injuries.”
She further testified about Crenshaw being accused of attacking another inmate in 2024 when moved to a facility in New Mexico.
The defense then questioned Huguenin who referred to Crenshaw as ‘cooperative’ and ‘respectful’ during her work and interviews.
“He was forthcoming with the information he could recall,” she said.
She has further testified to Crenshaw opening up about childhood trauma.
“We spoke about his childhood, that’s part of what’s need for the report…information about what led up to the offense,” she said. “Was it a focus…it was one of the focuses.”
And so was the 2008 crime, the murders of Sarah and Tanner, that started it all.
“He was very brief…saying he didn’t recall any of the details,” she said. “When I asked about remorseful feelings from a standpoint of the victims and turmoil or grief he had caused, he spoke to it but it was a statement. There was no physical feeling noted there. He said he felt bad for people and that they didn’t deserve it.”
Katie Hayes, Tanner’s sister, was the first to deliver a victim impact statement. She turned the podium to address her brother’s killer directly.
“The day Tanner was being murdered, the heavenly Father was sad for both of you, you are both his children,” she said. “I’ve wanted to forgive you. I know we are all human but I think the thing that scares me the most is I really don’t know if you’ll take this to heart, how dangerous you can be. The fact that we are here doing this is…I don’t know why we are getting put through this based on your prison record that we just went over.”
Katie was pregnant at the time of the trial and spoke on the tremendous difficulty of being there for the proceedings. She recalled an inappropriate interaction with Crenshaw during the trial. She said Crenshaw made a wink face and blew a kiss at her.
“I had to run to the bathroom I was puking…it’s been so traumatic for me,” she said.
Katie also remembered returning to the crime scene, her mother’s home, shortly after it was released back to the family by investigators.
“That trauma was real, that crime scene was real…the blood on the walls where he fought,” she said. “We’re seeing blood on the mattress. Everywhere.”
Crenshaw is accused of turning family photos around and using precious mementos of theirs to stage the crime scene.
Katie said it’s been traumatizing to have to go through all of this again, especially as Crenshaw’s violent ways have continued.
“If you hadn’t done those things in prison, I would have been here with an open heart,” she said. “What I’m asking for is that the sentence doesn’t change. Because I’m scared of him. I’m scared other people won’t be safe if he’s out in the community.”
Sarah’s oldest sister Emily and her mother Teesha also addressed the court. They read victim impact statements by others impacted by the crime. Other friends and loved ones followed. Crenshaw showed no emotion.
This article will be updated as the proceedings continue throughout the day, possibly into mid-week.
