Olsen found guilty of attempted murder

Edward Mark Olsen was found guilty of attempted murder in the second degree, burglary in the first degree, harassment, and malicious mischief in the third degree, according to the jury's verdict released Tuesday by Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Jennifer Dalton.

Edward Mark Olsen was found guilty of attempted murder in the second degree, burglary in the first degree, harassment, and malicious mischief in the third degree, according to the jury’s verdict released Tuesday by Kitsap County Superior Court Judge Jennifer Dalton.

The jury also found Olsen not guilty of attempted murder in the first degree.

Olsen, 50, was accused of dousing the bed of Bonnie Devenny with gasoline and threatening to light the fuel on fire in November 2009.

The jury found “aggravating circumstances” because the act against the victim was done in sight or sound of their minor child. Their 12-year-old son, was in the bed at the time after falling asleep watching television.

The jury deliberated for about one full day. Sentencing will be Jan. 24 2011.

“We did everything we could to show the investigation by law enforcement was not very efficient and that the main witness was not a reliable source of testimony,” said Shame M. Silverthorn, Olsen’s public defender. “It was a difficult case all around, but we are happy to beat the murder in the first degree charge. Evidence clearly shows that it wasn’t a premeditated event, and that’s what the jury found as well.”