Lakewood Man Who Shot, Killed Ex-Wife During Church Counseling Session Pleads Guilty

A Lakewood man pleaded guilty last week to shooting and killing his wife during a marriage counseling session at their Federal Way Church in March.

Charles L. Parsons, 44, entered the guilty plea Friday in King County Superior Court, according to KOMO.

Court documents and officer statements show Parsons didn't try to hide the fact that he shot Carol Parsons, 41, on March 17, at Calvary Lutheran Church.

Authorities responded to a call shortly before 6 p.m., from Charles Parsons. He told the 911 operator that he had "shot wife in a counseling session in a fit of rage," according to court papers.

The couple's marriage counselor told police that the couple had been married 12 years and had three young children. The couple had been divorced for about a year, although Parsons wanted to reconcile with his wife. She did not and was actually dating another man.

Parsons began the counseling session by telling the counselor that they were going to "get down to the nitty gritty today," according to court papers. During the session, she told him that she wouldn't stop seeing her boyfriend.

At that point, "Parsons got up, walked across the room to his coat and retrieved a .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun," according to the responding Federal Way Police officer's report.

Parsons first pointed the gun at the counselor and told him not to move. He then aimed the gun at his wife and fired at least six rounds. Parsons then walked outside, placed the gun on the hood of his truck, called 911 and lay in the parking lot until police arrived, according to charging papers.

Medics arrived and transported Carol Parsons to Harborview Medical Center, where she died from her injuries about three hours later.

An autopsy from the King County Medical Examiner's Office found five spent bullets in the victim's body, including four in the victim's left arm, which indicated that "she tried to cover or defend herself as the defendant continued to fire," according to court papers.

KOMO reports that Parsons faces up to 28 1/2 years in prison. A sentencing has not been scheduled.