MOUNT VERNON, Wash. – A man charged with killing a dog trainer whose clients included some of Seattle's most famous residents has testified that he shot the trainer in self-defense and dumped his body into the sea.
Michiel (MIKE'-al) Oakes said Tuesday during his murder trial that Mark Stover invited him to his home, then shot at Oakes.
Oakes says he was saved by the bullet-resistant vest he was wearing. Oakes is a security expert who was dating Stover's ex-wife.
Oakes says Stover was shot by his own gun as Oakes disarmed him. He says he ditched Stover's body by a dilapidated dock behind a casino.
His attorney has told jurors that Stover confronted Oakes, made threats against his children, and even stalked the couple when they took a trip to Montana.