Holly Ann Grigsby, the 27-year old Oregon woman accused of going on a killing spree in the name of white supremacy, pleaded guilty today to a charge of racketeering, which incorporates several crimes into one. Grigsby and her boyfriend, David Pedersen, allegedly killed four people across three states, starting with Pedersen’s father and stepmother.
Grigsby admitted in court on Tuesday that she took part in the crimes of kidnapping, robbing, and murdering the victims; however, she backtracked on an earlier statement and claimed she didn’t actually physically kill any of them. Her statements were a direct contradiction to those she made after her 2011 arrest.
“Through October 20, 2011, we communicated with the media and other white supremacists about our mission, in hopes of sparking others to carry out the hoped-for revolution. In hindsight, however, I realize my actions were contrary to my ideology of making a better place for the white race and culture,” Grigsby wrote in a statement.
According to the plea deal that was struck, Grigsby faces life in prison without the possibility of parole and will not face any other charges in another state. Pedersen will go on trial in July.
The couple accused Pedersen’s father of sexually abusing children and his stepmother of aiding and abetting his crimes; they later killed 19-year old Cody Faye Myers, who they had originally hitched a ride with and murdered because he was a witness. They also killed Reginald Alan Clark, another stranger who had given them a ride; the murders were carried out because they thought Myers was Jewish, and because Clark was African-American. The couple told police they were on their way to California to kill more when they were caught.
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