SPOKANE — The mastermind of a murder-for-hire scheme that originated from business dealings in the North Dakota oil patch was sentenced Tuesday in federal court to two consecutive life terms, intended to keep him in prison for the rest of his life.
James Henrikson, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Salvador Mendoza for ordering the killings of two business associates.
In issuing the sentence, Mendoza said Henrikson continued to show a lack of remorse.
A federal jury in Richland found Henrikson guilty in February of 11 felony counts, including murder-for-hire, conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and solicitation to commit murder-for-hire.
He was convicted of ordering the deaths of Douglas Carlile, who was shot in his Spokane home in 2013, and Kristopher Clarke, who was bludgeoned to death in 2012 in North Dakota. Clarke’s body has never been found.
During his comments to the court before sentencing, Henrikson read an essay about abortion and recited abortion statistics. He contended abortion was also murder-for-hire.
Carlile was described by prosecutors as an investor who owed Henrikson money.
Clarke was an employee of Henrikson’s North Dakota-based trucking company. Henrikson believed Clarke was planning either to join a rival trucking firm or start one of his own, prosecutors said.
Five other men were also involved in the murder-for-hire scheme.
Timothy Suckow, who was paid $20,000 by Henrikson and pleaded guilty to carrying out both killings, was sentenced last week to 30 years in prison. Lazaro Pesina was sentenced to 12 years and Robby Joe Wahrer to 10 years.
Robert Delao, 41, who pleaded guilty to helping arrange Carlile’s killing, will be sentenced in August. Todd David Bates will be sentenced in June.
Henrikson’s federal trial was moved from Spokane to Richland because of extensive publicity over Carlile’s death. He was shot in his upscale home as his wife hid in a closet and called 911.
Defense attorney Mark Vovos argued during the trial that the government’s witnesses against his client were trying to make him a scapegoat to cover up their own acts in pursuit of wealth.
