Curtis and Tabitha Gibson argue they acted in self-defense when Gaylord “Travis” Sayers was shot and killed outside the old Highway 99 Company bar.
TENINO, Wash. — A Thurston County couple murder trial center The two were released without charge, according to the Thurston County Prosecutor’s Office.
The attorney’s office did not immediately provide further details Thursday about the acquittal of Curtis and Tabitha Gibson.
When the trial began in April, the couple argued they acted in self-defense when they shot Gaylord “Travis” Sayers outside the Old Hwy 99 Company Bar and Grill.
Prosecutors argued the couple planned the murder and should not have returned to the bar.
The fatal shooting was the result of an ongoing confrontation between two groups that broke out on April 16, 2024, according to court documents.
On April 16, 2024, at approximately 5:44 p.m., police were called to the bar following reports of a shooting. Thurston County Sheriff’s deputies were told a man with a gun was restrained and pushed to the ground by a customer.
The victim, named Sayers, was found with two gunshot wounds, one on the right side and another in the center of the abdomen. A third bullet fragment was found among the keys in Sayers’ pocket. He was taken to hospital where he died.
Dashcam video from the couple’s car obtained by detectives shows them arguing with the victim. At one point, it recorded a conversation in which they discussed removing a gun from a lock box, according to probable cause documents. The video then shows them returning to the bar, which is when the shooting occurred.
The judge in the case previously said she listened to the recording but was unsure whether jurors could clearly hear the audio.
