Court records show history of domestic violence before murder-suicide in Lacey Friday

The two people who died in a suspected murder-suicide in Lacey Friday night have been identified as Michael Michelin, 50, of Lacey, and Maryann McCarty, 41, of Lacey, according to the Thurston County Coroner’s Office.

Court records show that Michelin had a history of domestic violence charges and that two women, including McCarty, had sought protection orders against him over the years.

Early Friday evening, witnesses saw Michelin and McCarty yelling at each other in the South Sound Center parking lot in the 700 block of Sleater Kinney Road in Lacey, near crafts retailer Michael’s. The man then pulled out a pistol and shot the woman several times in the chest.

He then turned the gun on himself and died at the scene. She later died at an area hospital, according to Lacey police.

McCarty had sought protection orders against Michelin in June 2018 and in September, court records show. A different woman had sought protection orders against Michelin in 2007 and twice in 2006.

McCarty identified Michelin as a former domestic partner.

In her Sept. 13 application for protection, McCarty, in a handwritten note, spelled out the harassment she had experienced:

▪ “Michael emails me at 7:25 a.m. and tells me that if he gets a restraining order he is going to be one ‘pissed off mother—.’”

▪ “Michael emails me at 7:27 a.m. and says he better not have a cop show up at his house.”

▪ “Michael emails me at 8:27 a.m. and says if I get this (the protection order) he will do everything in his power to make me regret it.”

Thurston County Superior Court granted the temporary protection order on Sept. 13 and Lacey police served Michelin with the order on Sept. 15, court records show.

A court hearing took place on Sept. 26, but Michelin failed to appear in court. The court approved and signed the protection order, as well as issued an order for Michelin to surrender his weapons. Lacey police served him with both on Oct. 2.

On Oct. 3, a motion was filed in court, showing that Michelin was not in compliance with court orders. That was followed by a hearing on the motion. The court noted that Michelin had failed to appear at the review hearing and has “failed to file any documentation noting compliance with the order to surrender weapons.”

McCarty leaves behind two daughters, ages 16 and 11, according to court records.

This story was originally published October 14, 2018 at 11:53 AM.