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 cold-blooded killing of Kristopher “Buddy” Graber — a robbery-turned-murder over $5,000, a 9mm pistol, and 47 grams of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Rosanna M. Peterson handed down the sentence after George admitted to shooting Graber through a locked car door, using his own weapon, after stealing his property the night before. No weapon was in Graber’s possession when he was killed — only a cigarette in his left hand.
George pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In her plea agreement, she admitted the shooting was not self-defense — a claim she’d pushed early on, alleging Graber sexually assaulted her the night before. That story crumbled under scrutiny: Graber was unarmed, calm, and standing outside a locked vehicle when George opened fire, hitting him in the heart. There was no immediate threat, no struggle — just a calculated act to keep stolen cash and drugs. George later tried to pass the gun to a witness and became enraged when a neighbor called 911.
Judge Peterson calculated the federal sentencing guidelines at 108 to 135 months, citing George’s long rap sheet: prior convictions for drug offenses, burglary, assault, and making false statements. The U.S. government pushed for 204 months, calling her criminal history dangerous and escalating. But Peterson disagreed with the prosecution’s assessment and slashed the sentence to 78 months — just over six years. George is expected to be released in 2025, but will remain under federal supervised release for life.
At the time of the murder — July 12, 2020 — George was recorded on video and phone logs using the alias “Martha Ruthless.” The nickname fits. After killing Graber, she hid 47 grams of meth in a nearby field and stashed $3,000 in her undergarments. She admitted planning to distribute the drugs, continuing a pattern of trafficking on the Colville Reservation. The previous night, she had already sold portions of the same batch at the Coulee House Motel. This wasn’t desperation — it was business.
George fed investigators a shifting web of lies. First, it was self-defense. Then, “I had no choice.” Then, conflicting timelines, fabricated threats. But the facts are unshakable: Graber approached the car peacefully to retrieve what was stolen. He wasn’t violent. He wasn’t armed. He was shot through glass, through a locked door, by the woman who’d robbed him hours earlier. George’s own admissions torpedoed any claim of justification. She chose to kill to protect her haul.
“This case is devastating—one human being is dead and another is going to prison,” said U.S. Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref. “But the United States prioritizes the investigation and prosecution of violent crime, whenever it happens, and whoever commits it.” The Colville Reservation, she noted, has seen a troubling spike in violence. This case, she said, reflects the DOJ’s commitment to follow the facts — no matter where they lead. In this case, they led straight to George’s finger on the trigger.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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