Gary Charles Hartman has been found guilty in the 1986 rape-murder of Michella Welch.
Hartman was around 30 years old when he attacked Welch (12) who got “separated from her sisters while they were visiting a North Tacoma park.”
Her body was found in a ravine. She had been sexually assaulted and was beaten to death.
“An autopsy found that Michella had died of blunt force trauma to the head. According to the medical examiner, she also had a seven-inch laceration to her neck and evidence of both anal and vaginal trauma.”
With the advances in DNA technology, the case slowly moved forward but the trial got postponed due to Covid19. Forensic genealogy helped the authorities narrow down the pool of suspects.
“Hartman was arrested in 2018 after detectives matched the DNA found at the crime scene to DNA found on a napkin he discarded at a fast food restaurant.”
At the time of the crime, Hartman was married with two children. He is now divorced. Hartman worked at Western State Hospital, an in-patient psychiatric facility.
During his bench trial, the judge rendered a swift guilty verdict. Judge Stanley Rumbaugh sentenced him to 26 years and six months in prison. Hartman did apologize in court to the Welch family.
The Case
The cold case of Michella Welch (1974 – March 26, 1986) was always linked to the Jennifer Marie Bastian murder. She too had been on a bike, both girls were sexually assaulted, their bodies were left in similar positions, each girl had her clothes disturbed in a similar way, and both were blond and bright-eyed.
In 2016, police announced DNA tests showed different men killed Welch and Bastian.
In 2018, authorities charged Gary Charles Hartman (66) with first-degree murder and first-degree rape in the Michella Welch case. Hartman was arraigned and held in lieu of $5 million bail. Hartman had no prior criminal record. He pleaded not guilty. His bench trial was at his request.
Rest in peace, Michella Welch.