Spokane, Washington — Maddesyn George, 27, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for the execution-style killing of Kristopher “Buddy” Graber and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Senior U.S. District Judge Rosanna M. Peterson handed down the sentence after George admitted in court to shooting Graber with his own 9mm pistol — firing through a locked car door as he stood unarmed, holding only a cigarette in his left hand.
The killing unfolded on the morning of July 12, 2020, when Graber approached the vehicle to recover 47 grams of methamphetamine, a semi-automatic pistol, and more than $5,000 in cash stolen by George the night before while he slept. Eyewitnesses described Graber as ‘cool, calm, and collected,’ posing no immediate threat. Instead of returning the stolen property or fleeing, George opened fire, striking Graber in the heart and killing him instantly. She then attempted to pass the murder weapon to a bystander and reacted with rage when a neighbor dialed 911.
George, who went by the alias ‘Martha Ruthless’ in recorded conversations and phone logs, later admitted she had no legal justification for the shooting. In her Plea Agreement, she conceded she was not acting in self-defense — a claim she initially pushed after her arrest, claiming Graber had sexually assaulted her the night before. That story unraveled fast: court records show no evidence of assault, and the shooting occurred hours later, with Graber unarmed and outside a locked vehicle. Judge Peterson called the self-defense claim baseless under the facts.
Investigators found George had hidden nearly $3,000 in her undergarments and stashed the 47 grams of meth in a nearby field. She admitted in court documents she planned to distribute the drugs — just as she had done the night before at the Coulee House Motel. Records also reveal a pattern of drug distribution activity by George on the Colville Reservation, where violent crime rates have surged in recent years, drawing increased federal scrutiny.
Judge Peterson calculated George’s guideline range at 108 to 135 months, citing her extensive criminal history — including prior convictions for burglary, assault, drug offenses, and making false statements to law enforcement. The U.S. government pushed for 204 months. But the judge ruled the criminal history category overstated George’s record and exercised discretion, imposing only 78 months. George is expected to be released in 2025, but will remain under federal Supervised Release for the rest of her life.
‘This case is devastating—one human being is dead and another is going to prison,’ said Vanessa R. Waldref, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington. ‘The United States prioritizes the investigation and prosecution of violent crime, whenever it happens, and whoever commits it.’ Waldref emphasized the federal commitment to community safety, particularly on tribal lands like the Colville Reservation, where violent crime has spiked. ‘In this case, the facts that Ms. George admitted lead to one inescapable conclusion: she chose to shoot and kill an unarmed man through a locked car door so she could keep what she stole.’
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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