Coroner gives permission for Ron Reynolds, sons to remain mum

This news story was updated at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday Sept. 28, 2011

By Sharyn  L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter

CHEHALIS –  Toledo Elementary School Principal Ron Reynolds and his sons have been excused from testifying at the upcoming coroner’s inquest into Ronda Reynolds 1998 death.

Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod signed an order today quashing their subpoenas to appear and testify.

McLeod writes in his order that the four have asserted their fifth amendment constitutional right, that no person shall be compelled to be a witness against himself.

Lawyers for the Reynolds’s and for Barb Thompson – mother of Ronda Reynolds – have been filing opposing motions with the coroner as he finalizes details about what will happen at the October inquest.

Thompson’s attorney has stated the men should be compelled to take the witness stand, where they could still choose to invoke the privilege against self-incrimination. But McLeod in his order said he isn’t going to make them do that.

Ronda Reynolds, 33, was found with a bullet in her head and covered by a turned-on electric blanket on the floor of a closet in the Toledo home she shared with her husband of less than a year, Ron Reynolds. He and his three sons – then 18, 17 and 10 – were present when the first sheriff’s deputy arrived the morning of Dec. 16, 1998.

Nobody has ever been charged with any crime related to the case.

While her death was initially ruled a suicide, it was changed back and forth between that and undetermined as it it was reinvestigated and then as it was the subject of a judicial review two years ago.

Coroner McLeod hopes the inquest will bring resolution to the case.

In his order McLeod writes that despite attorney Royce Ferguson’s  assertion the privilege against self incrimination shouldn’t apply in a non-criminal proceeding, case law says it does apply.

McLeod also noted the sons’ motions are similar to their father’s motion, which is similar to one a judge granted during the 2009 judicial review allowing Ron Reynolds not to testify then.

McLeod has decided if they did testify – and if the inquest determines the deceased died by homicide and names the person responsible which could conceivably occur, he would expect prosecutors to dissect their answers looking for guilt.

“Thus, I find it reasonably likely that the Reynolds testimony might be used in evidence in subsequent criminal proceedings against any or all of them,” McLeod wrote.

Coroner McLeod will instruct the jurors the Reynolds have asserted the privilege against self incrimination and no adverse inference should be drawn based upon their exercise of their constitutional right.

In a separate decision yesterday, McLeod noted the inquest jury will consider all possible manners of death.

Ferguson had objected to the label of suicide being one of the options the inquest jury may choose from, citing a ruling in the judicial review civil case in which the previous coroner was ordered to remove suicide from the death certificate .

The inquest is scheduled to begin on Oct. 10.
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For more details about McLeod’s decision, download and read his order, here
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Read most recent news story on the inquest, here

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13 Responses to “Coroner gives permission for Ron Reynolds, sons to remain mum”

  1. The Reaper says:

    That worthless scumbag is guilty! We know you did it! You think that this would blow over and that no one from this town would know? Your a fool and you will pay for this in the future. Be warned.

  2. George says:

    Looks like we’ll never get to the bottom of this case…. and the murderers will walk free, not having to face the justice they so rightly deserve. Perhaps if, instead of a “coroner’s inquest”, they should do something a little more binding, like convene a “grand jury”…. then they could FORCE the people to talk….

  3. Tea says:

    By asking to be excused from taking the stand, it seems MORE incriminating. If the truth has been told, why be afraid to testify?

  4. KR says:

    Barbara is referencing a comment from this news article about a week ago. https://lewiscountysirens.com/?p=8582 …Though it’s not clear why.

  5. barbara says:

    Re-posted from Decker story 9/2o/11. Read it

    SHARON GRAHAM says:
    Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 2:00 pm
    Thank you to Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod for doing the right thing. You are obviously a man to be held in high esteem.
    Your actions are to be applauded by everyone in the U.S.A.

  6. BStevens says:

    Barbara sounds like a Reynolds. Why does she say “barbara” once place and then “SHARON GRAHAM” another. It must be a Reynolds! Guilty!

  7. barbara says:

    SHARON GRAHAM says:
    Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 2:00 pm
    Thank you to Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod for doing the right thing. You are obviously a man to be held in high esteem.
    Your actions are to be applauded by everyone in the U.S.A.

  8. star says:

    its not right they should be made to testify!!

  9. linda eller says:

    It was time to man up and do the right thing, for Barb and Ronda==Was Cononer just to tired, to do the right thing. Maybe he should have napped before giving permission to this group.

  10. KR says:

    After reading the orders I understand much more, but still the whole thing is frustrating.

  11. star says:

    we ca just say chickens

  12. star says:

    yah me too they know what happened that night and there scared thats why !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  13. KR says:

    This just doesn’t make any sense to me. What is the point of the inquest if the main people who were present aren’t going to take the stand?