Murder of James Sanders

Overview

On April 28, 2010, James Sanders was fatally shot at his home in Edgewood, Washington, while showing a diamond ring he had listed for sale on Craigslist to prospective buyers.

Circumstances of Death

Three men and a woman arrived at Sanders' house to inspect the diamond ring. By telephone, the suspects had said the ring was intended as a Mother's Day gift for a mother-in-law. Once inside, the group detained the Sanders family. When the suspects began beating one of the children present, James Sanders intervened to protect the child and was fatally shot.

Suspects and Alleged Crime Spree

Investigators traced emailed information and identified four suspects: Clabon Berniard, Joshua Reese, Kiyoshi Higashi, and Amanda Knight. Three of the four (all except Berniard) were apprehended near San Francisco, California, after being stopped for driving without a front license plate; a gun was found during that stop. Knight posted bail and was released before authorities linked her to the Sanders killing. The suspects were later featured on the television program *America's Most Wanted*. Knight subsequently surrendered to police, and Berniard also surrendered to authorities in Washington state.

The four suspects were additionally suspected of involvement in another robbery arranged through a Craigslist advertisement. Knight was reportedly seen on video pawning items connected to a Craigslist-related robbery in Lake Stevens, Washington. The ring taken from Sanders was later recovered at a pawn shop in San Francisco.

Charges and Trial

In court, Berniard, Reese, Higashi, and Knight were charged with one count of first-degree murder, two counts of robbery, two counts of assault, and one count of burglary. All four wept in court and entered not guilty pleas. They were held on $2 million bail each. In 2011, all four were convicted of numerous crimes, including first-degree murder, and received sentences ranging from 71 to 124 years in prison.

Aftermath

Sanders' wife gave multiple interviews to news media following the killing, stating that she forgave the individuals arrested in connection with her husband's death. Kiyoshi Higashi's father attended Sanders' funeral, expressing regret and noting that his son would likely spend the rest of his life in prison.

Following the killing, Craigslist added additional safety warnings to its website. The case contributed to broader media attention on the risks associated with in-person meetings arranged through online classified advertisements, with other Craigslist-associated killings reported in Boston and Minnesota.