Larry Sturholm, a 46-year-old Emmy award-winning features reporter for KIRO-TV 7, was murdered on the evening of July 31, 1989, in a brutal double stabbing that also claimed the life of 35-year-old emergency-room nurse Debra Sweiger.
Sturholm and Sweiger were killed in Sweiger’s home near Issaquah. The perpetrator, William J. Pawlyk (then about 50), a former Richland businessman, Naval Academy graduate, and Naval Reserve officer, ambushed them. He apparently believed he was part of a love triangle and acted out of jealousy after learning that Sweiger (with whom he had been living) and Sturholm planned a trip to the Cayman Islands together.
Pawlyk waited inside the home with a hunting knife. Sturholm arrived first and was confronted; an argument led to him being stabbed multiple times (reports describe over 100 stab wounds in total across both victims, with one early account noting a dozen on Sturholm initially). Sweiger arrived shortly after and suffered the same fate. Pawlyk then attempted suicide. Sweiger was transported to Overlake Hospital but was pronounced dead; Sturholm was found dead at the scene. It was initially described as a double murder and attempted suicide stemming from a domestic dispute.
Debra Sweiger reportedly named her attacker before dying, which helped identify Pawlyk quickly. He was charged within days as the jilted lover.
Larry Sturholm was a well-known and popular Seattle television personality, working as a features reporter at KIRO. His brother, Phil Sturholm, was also in television news (executive editor at KIRO at the time) and later wrote publicly about the emotional impact of the crime and trial. Larry left behind a wife, Judy Sturholm.
The case shocked the Seattle and Tri-Cities areas due to Sturholm’s celebrity and the gruesome nature of the killings.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Wednesday, August 2, 1989 (click pictures to ENLARGE)
Pawlyk was tried in King County for two counts of aggravated first-degree murder. The defense explored an insanity angle, but he was convicted in July 1991. He received a life sentence without the possibility of parole (the state did not seek the death penalty in this case). Appeals followed, including a 1990 Washington Supreme Court case on procedural issues, but the conviction stood.
Pawlyk later sought clemency (denied in 2004 by a 5-0 vote of the state Clemency and Pardons Board). He expressed remorse in some statements, such as “I should have stayed with God. I tried and failed and created a holocaust,” but remained imprisoned.
William Pawlyk died in prison on October 6, 2021, after more than 30 years behind bars. He was in his 80s.
Phil Sturholm, Larry’s brother, described an initial thirst for revenge that evolved over time toward forgiveness and peace, as detailed in a 2014 reflection. The case highlighted the intense personal toll on victims’ families in high-profile crimes and was noted in media ethics discussions about covering stories involving colleagues.
The murder remains a notable true-crime case from late-1980s Washington state, primarily remembered for its brutality, the jealousy motive, and its impact on the local TV news community. No new developments or unsolved elements exist—the perpetrator was identified, tried, convicted, and served his sentence until his death in custody.
Phil Sturholm
Jason Remington • April 1, 2026
Phil Sturholm (full name Phillip Leroy Sturholm, 1936–2016) was a highly influential figure in Seattle television news, primarily known as a pioneering photojournalist, chief photographer, executive producer, and newsroom manager rather than an on-air reporter. He was the older brother of KIRO 7 features reporter Larry Sturholm, who was murdered in 1989 while both worked at the station.
Phil spent more than two decades at KING 5, rising to become Chief Photographer and Executive Producer. He was legendary for his hands-on mentorship, high standards in visual storytelling, and insistence on quality—often described as a “titan” with a tough-love management style. Colleagues recalled him wearing Mickey Mouse ears in the editing room while pushing photographers and editors to treat every story like a “little movie.” He was reluctant to fully transition from 16mm film to videotape (ENG), valuing the thoughtful process film required.
Under his leadership, KING earned numerous awards, and he personally won 33 regional Emmy Awards (which he reportedly used as doorstops), along with a Peabody and a DuPont Award for his news photography and production work. His influence helped establish KING as one of the top local news stations in the country during the 1970s and 1980s. Many photojournalists credited him with shaping the visual standards of Northwest TV news for decades.
Phil moved to San Francisco to work for the syndicated show PM Magazine. He returned to Seattle in 1986 and joined KIRO 7 as Executive Producer/Editor and later Executive News Editor (also referred to as managing editor or executive editor).
At KIRO, he continued in a managerial and editorial role during the late 1980s and early 1990s. This overlapped with his brother Larry’s time there as a popular on-air features reporter known for “Larry at Large” segments. In the aftermath of Larry’s murder on July 31, 1989, Phil was on duty in the newsroom; he urged colleagues to cover the story rigorously without holding back, demonstrating professionalism amid personal tragedy. He took a leave during the 1991 trial of the killer, William Pawlyk, and later wrote publicly about his emotional journey from rage to forgiveness. Phil Sturholm passed away suddenly on Tuesday, August 23 2016.
Sturholm Case
Mike Barer • April 1, 2026
Bill Pawlyk has since died. Sturholm’s brother, Phil has also passed. A deep shock, of course, at the time.