King County Prosecuting Attorney Norm Maleng today filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty in the aggravated murder prosecution of Conner Schierman, who is accused of killing four members of a Kirkland family on July 17, 2006 and setting fire to their house to cover up the murders.

The filing of the notice gives a jury the option of considering the death penalty if Schierman is convicted of aggravated murder in the first degree. The only other possible sentence for aggravated murder in the first degree is life in prison without the possibility of release.

Maleng said he did not find any mitigating circumstance that was sufficient to prevent a jury from considering the death penalty.

Schierman is charged with four counts of aggravated murder in the first degree and one count of arson in the first degree. Olga Milkin, 28, and her two sons, Andrew, 3, and Justin, 5, along with Olga's sister, Lyubov Botvina, 24, were all found inside the burned out home.

Schierman, 25, was in court this morning for the filing of the notice of intent to seek the death penalty.

The defendant is being held without bail in the King County Jail. The trial is scheduled to begin on March 26. King County Superior Court Judge Greg Canova is presiding over the case.

Dated: January 30, 2007