Charlton receives 28-year prison sentence in 'vicious and cruel' murder

“If there ever was a case to do so, this would be one,” Spector told Charlton before handing down a 28-year prison sentence, “and I think you know that.”

Charlton and Lyne met online and began dating in 2016. On April 8, 2016, the two went to a Mariners game. After they returned to Lyne’s house that night, Charlton strangled the 40-year-old Renton woman to death, put her body in a bathtub and dismembered her with a 15-inch pruning saw.

A resident in the 1600 block of 21st Avenue in Seattle’s Central District made the first discovery of Lyne’s body parts in a recycling bin on April 11, 2016. Sanitation workers found more in the 900 block of 20th Avenue, according the charging documents.

“Some of her body parts have never been recovered,” said deputy prosecutor Jeff Baird, before Charlton’s sentencing on Friday, Jan. 5.

After dumping Lyne’s body parts around Seattle — using her own Toyota Highlander — Charlton left the vehicle downtown and took a bus to Edmonds, Baird said. Charging documents state Charlton was arrested in Lake Stevens on April 11, having gone to stay with a former girlfriend.

Charlton had been set to go to trial this month, but pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and vehicle theft in early October. The prosecutor’s office, Charlton and his defense attorneys agreed he should receive a high-end sentence, the range being 250-333 months. Baird said that would be followed by three years of community custody and a lifetime order that Charlton have no contact with Lyne’s family.

Phil Lyne addressed the court on Friday, recounting the experience of telling his three daughters their mother had died

“There was screaming, crying,” he said. “There was me telling them that mommy had died that weekend, and that someone had hurt her so badly that she’d died.”

Phil Lyne told Spector the maximum sentence possible wasn’t long enough, “because when he walks, Ingrid won’t.”

Nancy Sivitilli agreed, speaking about the kind of friend and “sister” Lyne had been to her and many others in the courtroom that day.

“There is no sensible way to deal with this tragedy or put into words the horror everyone has felt and been deeply affected by,” she said.

She told Charlton she could not find it in her to forgive him.

“You took Ingrid’s life,” Sivitilli said, “and that can never be undone.”

Charlton was represented by attorneys Brian Beattie and Anna Samuel, and his parents were in the courtroom.

“They’re here to respect and honor the pain that her family is going through,” Samuel said.

She said Charlton had spent several hours going over the many letters Lyne’s friends and family sent the judge, trying to understand their pain and the repercussions of his actions.

“There’s no words that can alleviate the pain that I’ve caused,” Charlton said before his sentencing, “and for that I’m truly sorry.”

Spector acknowledged many of those letters stated Charlton should never be let out of prison, but the law prohibited it.

The judge called Charlton’s crime “vicious and cruel,” and said he’d stolen Lyne from her friends and family, and she would give him life without parole if she could.

Charlton accepting guilt and sparing everyone a lengthy trial was the only good to come out of the matter, Spector said.

She sentenced Charlton to 333 months in prison for first-degree murder and six months for the vehicle theft charge, which runs concurrently.

According to court records, Charlton has a criminal history in Washington, Florida, Utah, Idaho, California and Montana, and convictions for aggravated robbery, felony theft, grand theft auto, fourth-degree assault and third-degree larceny, as well as additional arrests for battery.