Sheldon Plummer Who Told Police He Killed Wife In Self-Defense, Before Stuffing Her Body Into a Box, Pleads Not Guilty

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Updated: 6:14 pm PDT April 26, 2010


OLYMPIA, Wash. -- A man who police say told them Friday he killed his wife and then stuffed her body into a box said his wife tried to stab him, reported KIRO 7 Eyewitness News.

Investigators found the man's wife, 27-year-old Winter Plummer, inside a military-issued cargo crate in the garage of the couple's Olympia home Friday.

Police said 28-year-old Sheldon Plummer told investigators he had killed his wife more than two months ago.

According to probable cause documents, Plummer told a detective during a tape-recorded interview he strangled his wife after she attacked him with a knife during an argument on or around Feb. 19, 2010.

After killing Winter, Plummer placed her body in a large storage box, which he transported to a storage unit, documents said.

In court Monday, prosecutors said in addition to hiding his wife's body, Plummer sent texts from her cell phone so her relatives would believe she was still alive.

During a police investigation into Winter Plummer's disappearance that began on April 18, Plummer removed the body from his storage shed and transported it back to his home, documents said.

Police said the investigation began after Plummer's friend became suspicious about Winter's disappearance and contacted police.

Detectives said Plummer contacted police on Friday and told them he'd strangled his wife and her body was at his home.

Plummer is a sergeant at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

He is in the Thurston County Jail for investigation of second-degree murder and his bail is set at $750,000.

This guy is in the service? He is Crazy! And, to text her family to make them think she is still alive shows his mindset.

He should be on a NO bond status!!

It's weird to think that this guy could do something like this. I knew of him and talked to him at school and he is the last person I would think would do something like this. I remember him being the nicest of guys but not really being my type to date and now I am starting to wonder what makes someone snap and do something like this. I ask myself if I am capable of doing something crazy like this. I know my nickname but its not that kind of crazy. I usually put empty boxes on my head like a hat and dance and sing and make people laugh. My emotions are going crazy over this sad situation.

Welcome, CrazieGirlie!! And Thank your Lucky stars you never dated this monster. It's amazing how someone can seem so nice but be completely different on the inside.

I know of a girl he was engaged to a while ago but I am not sure of when things were broken off or anything to that extent but a lot of his school mates here are in shock. Its hard to imagine what happened to make him change the way that he did. He was not like that in school. I didn't date him but I have lived through a situation that most 14 yr old don't. That is a whole other topic though.

Thanks for the welcome.

Maybe being in the military changed him. I wonder if he went to Iraq? Not that that would excuse him but it might give insight as to the huge change in him.

CrazyGirlie, we have threads on just about every topic once you have the chance to look around. I just want you to know you are more than welcome to chime in about anything if you so desire. No pressure - just know we are a very kind and caring group once you get to know us.

According to the information I have read about this case is that he served in Iraq in 3 different tours and just recently got back in august of 09

OMG. That just makes me so damned sad that "they" put these people through the ringer and have them go back time and time again. Some come back literally crazed.

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Wednesday, May. 05, 2010

A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier pleaded not guilty Tuesday to second-degree murder in connection with his wife’s strangulation death in February. The plea came less than two weeks after his wife’s body was found stuffed in a storage container in his garage.
Sgt. Sheldon Plummer, 28, who returned from his third deployment to Iraq in August, was being held at the Thurston County Jail with bail set at $750,000.
Plummer’s next court date is set for May 24, and his trial is tentatively scheduled for the week of June 28.

According to court papers:
Plummer has admitted to Thurston County sheriff’s deputies that he strangled his wife, Winter Plummer, 28, after a dispute Feb. 19. Plummer told detectives that “he strangled his wife after she attacked him with a knife during an argument.”

Sheriff’s detectives began investigating Winter Plummer’s disappearance April 19, after one of Sheldon Plummer’s friends, also a soldier, called the Sheriff’s Office to say that Sheldon Plummer had called him and “wanted advice on how to dispose of a body.”

When detectives spoke with Sheldon Plummer, he said that about a month earlier, his wife had packed three suitcases and left after an argument. But Thurston County sheriff’s Lt. Chris Mealy has said his timeline of when his wife left was inconsistent.

Detectives later found that Sheldon Plummer had pawned his wife’s jewelry, Mealy said. Detectives also thought is was suspicious that Winter Plummer’s car still was parked at their apartment complex near Lacey.

They also thought it odd that she would abandon her 2-year-old daughter, Mealy has said. Sheldon Plummer had disposed of some of Winter Plummer’s belongings and sent text messages from her cell phone to her relatives in Arizona in an attempt to make it seem as though she was still alive, Thurston County Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jon Tunheim has said.

Winter Plummer’s body was found in the storage container April 23. Winter Plummer, 27 at the time of her death, was an Iraq War veteran, according to her father, Carlos Goseyun. Goseyun also said that her 2-year-old daughter would live with him at the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona.

Sheldon Plummer pleads guilty to wife's murder
BY JEREMY PAWLOSKI | Staff writer • Published July 21, 2010

OLYMPIA – A Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to second-degree murder, domestic violence, in connection with the February strangulation death of his wife, also an Iraq War veteran and the mother of their 2-year-old daughter.

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Sheldon Plummer, 28, was composed during Wednesday’s hearing and calmly answered Thurston County Superior Court Judge Carol Murphy’s question of how he wanted to plea with an answer of “guilty, your honor.”

Plummer had returned from his third deployment to Iraq in August, according to a Joint Base Lewis-McChord spokesman. According to court papers, Sheldon Plummer admitted to strangling his wife, Winter, after a dispute at their apartment near Lacey on Feb. 19. Sheldon Plummer told detectives that “he strangled his wife after she attacked him with a knife during an argument.”

Thurston County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jodilyn Erikson-Muldrew has agreed to recommend that Sheldon Plummer serve about 14-and-a-half years in prison in return for his guilty plea. A judge however, is not bound by the sentencing agreement. His sentencing is set for Aug. 20.

Thurston County sheriff’s detectives began investigating Winter Plummer’s disappearance on April 18, after one of Sheldon Plummer’s friends, also an Army soldier, called the sheriff’s office to say that Sheldon Plummer had called him and “wanted advice on how to dispose of a body,” court papers state.

When detectives spoke with Sheldon Plummer, he said that about a month earlier, his wife had packed three suitcases and left after an argument. But Thurston County Sheriff’s Lt. Chris Mealy has said that Sheldon Plummer’s timeline of when his wife left was inconsistent.

Detectives later found that Sheldon Plummer had pawned his wife’s jewelry, Mealy has said. Detectives also thought it was suspicious that Winter Plummer’s car was still parked at the apartment complex at The Village at Nisquallly Ridge Apartments. They also thought it odd that she would abandon her 2-year-old daughter.

A prosecutor later said that Sheldon Plummer had disposed of some of Winter Plummer’s belongings in order to make it appear as though she had left. The prosecutor added that he even sent text messages from her cell phone to her family members in Arizona in an effort to make them believe she was still alive.

After detectives initially interviewed Sheldon Plummer on April 18, he removed Winter Plummer’s body from a local storage unit and placed her in his garage, court papers state. Soon thereafter, Sheldon Plummer admitted to his wife’s homicide, Mealy has said.

Detectives found Winter Plummer, 27 stuffed in a storage container in her husband’s garage on the morning of April 23. Erikson-Muldrew said that Winter Plummer’s family from Arizona will be in attendance for Sheldon Plummer’s Aug. 20 sentencing.

Lacey-area soldier gets 14.5 years in wife's death; family speaks
BY JEREMY PAWLOSKI | Staff writer • Published August 21, 2010

OLYMPIA – A judge sentenced a Joint Base Lewis-McChord soldier who has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder to more than 14 years in prison today for strangling his wife, also an Iraq War veteran.

Sheldon Plummer, 28, earlier had pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder, domestic violence, for the February homicide of his wife, Winter, 27, at their apartment near Lacey.

Sheldon Plummer had returned from his third deployment from Iraq in August 2009. During the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, he saw combat serving in the same convoy from which Army Pvt. Jessica Lynch was captured, said his attorney, James Dixon.

During an emotional hearing before Thurston County Superior Court Judge Carol Murphy, Winter Plummer’s family members, including her father, Carlos Goseyun, spoke of the loss of their loved one, who grew up on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona and joined the Army to better her life.

Family members said they wanted Sheldon Plummer to serve more than the 14 years, four months recommended by both Dixon and the prosecutor as part of his plea agreement. Plummer had no prior criminal history, and his sentence was in the middle of the standard range for a second-degree murder conviction.

Sheldon and Winter Plummer’s daughter, Taylor, 2, is living with Winter’s sister in Arizona. Carlos Goseyun told Plummer in court Friday that “Taylor will know that he is the killer of our daughter.”

Winter Plummer’s grandmother, Andrea Goseyun, broke into tears in court, describing how she taught Winter the Apache language and traditions. She spoke about how Winter was a great athlete, excelling at volleyball, basketball and softball. She also said her granddaughter was an outstanding soldier.

“I loved her as much as my own daughter, and today I miss her,” Andrea Goseyun said. “I know that I will never be able to speak to her again.”

Thurston County sheriff’s detectives began investigating Winter Plummer’s disappearance April 18, after one of Sheldon Plummer’s friends, also an Army soldier, called the sheriff’s office to say Sheldon Plummer had called him and “wanted advice on how to dispose of a body,” court papers state.

When detectives spoke to Sheldon Plummer, he said that about a month earlier, his wife had packed three suitcases and left after an argument.

But Thurston County Sheriff’s Lt. Chris Mealy has said that Plummer’s timeline of when his wife left was inconsistent.

Detectives later found that Plummer had pawned his wife’s jewelry. Detectives also thought it was suspicious that Winter Plummer’s car still was parked at the apartment complex at The Villages at Nisqually Ridge Apartments. And they found it odd that she would abandon her daughter.

A prosecutor later said Plummer had disposed of some of his wife’s belongings to make it appear as though she had left. Sheldon Plummer even sent text messages from her cell phone to her family members in Arizona in an effort to make them think she was alive.

After detectives initially interviewed Sheldon Plummer, he removed his wife’s body from a storage unit and placed it in his garage, court papers state. Soon thereafter, he admitted to killing his wife. He told detectives he acted in self-defense after she attacked him with a knife during an argument, court papers state. Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jodilyn Erikson-Muldrew said in court Friday that the medical evidence contradicted that claim.

Winter Plummer’s older sister Adrienne Vaughn, who is taking care of Taylor, said that after her sister’s death, Sheldon Plummer’s new girlfriend moved into the apartment.

“Her death has torn my heart out and broken my soul,” she said. Vaughn also read a statement written by Winter Plummer’s mother, who was not at Friday’s court hearing. In the statement, she said that while Winter Plummer lived in Washington, she prayed that her husband would be OK while he served in Iraq.

“Little did she know you would come home just to kill her,” Vaughn said, reading from her mother’s statement.

PTSD CONNECTION

Dixon said a psychiatric nurse practitioner evaluated Sheldon Plummer and determined that he suffers from PTSD. Sheldon Plummer joined the Army at 19, and during the Iraq invasion he saw “many of his friends killed and injured,” Dixon said today, reading from Dr. April Gerlock’s report.

Gerlock works at the VA Hospital at American Lake in Tacoma. Dixon hired her as an expert in Shelton Plummer’s criminal case.

Gerlock’s report also states that Sheldon Plummer suffered a concussion during his first tour of Iraq and “was exposed to hostile fire, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades,” Dixon said.

Dixon noted that Gerlock’s report says people who suffer from PTSD can experience a “heightened sense of arousal to an actual or perceived threat,” and that they “may respond with aggression in response to that threat.”

In a phone interview Friday, Gerlock cautioned that Plummer’s case is complex. She added that she thinks PTSD contributed to Plummer’s actions.

Not all soldiers coming back from Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from PTSD, and most who do never commit violent crimes, Gerlock said.

It’s difficult for soldiers to shift from that “hyperawareness of ongoing danger” during combat tours to day-to-day civilian life, she said.

Gerlock said she sees soldiers with PTSD every day. Many do not want to talk about it, especially if they want to continue with their careers in the military, she said.

“We’re doing a lot for the recently deployed, but they have a lot on their plates,” she said. “It’s tough. It’s so hard on these folks. They’re young, they want to get a family going and they just keep getting deployed.”


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I knew it as soon as it was stated he served 3 terms in Iraq. Thanks, GWB...for allowing a now 28 year old man to serve our country in Iraq (when we should NOT have been there in the first damned place)not once, not twice but 3 times..only to come home with PTSD. This makes me livid pissed!! Sorry for the language but really....God only knows what this man saw over there.

Does this excuse him from killing his wife? NO. But, I can relate to the mindset of PTSD to a certain extent. This is just a sad, sad case all the way around.