Rogue Valley man hopes judge with show leniency with father's killer

Medford, Ore.- A Rogue Valley man and his family will find out Tuesday whether their wishes for the future of the man who killed their father.

Trevor and Terry Bushey’s father, Robert, was murdered in his Kelso, Washington home in August, 1994. He was stabbed 53 times and left for dead.

“They didn’t have any real solid leads,” said Trevor of the investigation.

Police looked at several suspects, but no one was arrested and the case lingered for 22 years without a resolution. The case was finally solved in March, 2016, when Brandon David Wright walked into a Salt Lake City, Utah police department and confessed.

“He came across my father’s shop and stayed a couple nights in there hiding out,” said Trevor. “After a couple days of no food, he broke into my father’s camp trailer and was stealing food and that’s when my father came home from work and discovered him there. The scuffle between the two began and my father was killed.”

The District Attorney’s office asked Trevor what he would like to see happen with the case. Trevor asked to meet Wright before making a decision. In that meeting, Wright described a life of petty crime and drug use that was turned around after a stint in jail. He received a college degree, worked a successful career and created a family.

“I asked him, why did you turn yourself in,” said Trevor. “And his answer, quote unquote, was because of the holy spirit. I asked him do you still have faith? And he said that he does, but it’s been difficult to maintain.”

Trevor, his brother Terry and their family decided the best course of action was to forgive.

“I know the whole story now. It’s not excusable, the whole story doesn’t make it excusable, but it makes me understand. And because of my faith, makes me inclined to forgive.”

Trevor met with the prosecuting attorney on the case and asked for the minimum possible sentence.

“I told him that I feel, to not perpetuate this tragedy, that my father’s life has already been cut short and that can’t be changed and the only thing that makes it a bigger tragedy is that second individual’s life kind of ruined”

While Trevor was hoping for a ten year sentence, the minimum for Murder in the Second Degree is 12. He could come to terms with that, but the District Attorneys office, instead, decided to offer a plea deal of 17 years. The Bushey family is hoping they can sway the judge Tuesday and reduce that sentence.

“His life is going to be changed regardless of how long he serves, but I didn’t want to diminish his chance of being a father. Of somehow, someway being able to make a positive impact.”