Michelyn “Michey” Jo Derning was a woman striving for a fresh start when her life was cut short at the age of 47. The daughter of a Marine Corps colonel, she was described by a friend as a loving, compassionate, and free-spirited person. In 1997, she moved from Oceanside, California, to Spokane, Washington, hoping to leave behind a difficult past that included an abusive relationship and a struggle with drug addiction.
In Spokane, she was working to rebuild her life with the ultimate goal of regaining custody of her 13-year-old son, who was living with her parents. Her new employer at a local horse ranch, Michelle Wallace, hired her on the spot, impressed by her "spirit of excitement and enthusiasm."
Despite her determination, Michelyn was haunted by her past. Friends recalled that she was fearful and would have flashbacks of the abuse she had endured. Wallace said, "Sometimes, she would come in my arms and just cry." Michelyn's father, Edward Derning, later acknowledged the complexities of her life, stating, "We would have hoped that everything was going to go right. I don't pretend that I understood her. Of course, I don't know if any parent can say that." While trying to get back on her feet, she lived in the East Sprague neighborhood, an area known to be dangerous.
On July 7, 1998, the body of Michelyn Jo Derning, a female, was discovered in a vacant lot in Spokane's East Central neighborhood at 218 N. Crestline. She was found nude, partially hidden by a hot tub cover. An autopsy determined she had died from a single gunshot wound to the head; a.25-caliber bullet casing was found in her hair. Her death was one of a terrifying series of slayings that had gripped the Spokane area, targeting women living on the margins.
The investigation into these murders eventually led police to Robert Lee Yates Jr., a decorated former U.S. Army helicopter pilot and father of five. For years, Yates had used his ordinary "family man" persona to hide a monstrous secret. He preyed on vulnerable women, many of whom were involved in sex work and drug use. A major break in the case came when Yates was arrested on April 18, 2000, for the murder of another young woman, Jennifer Joseph. DNA evidence conclusively linked him to Michelyn's murder and several others.
To avoid the death penalty in Spokane County, Robert Lee Yates Jr. accepted a plea bargain. He pleaded guilty to 13 counts of first-degree murder, including Michelyn's, and one count of attempted first-degree murder. This plea resulted in a sentence of 408 years in prison. He was later convicted in Pierce County for two additional counts of aggravated first-degree murder and sentenced to death. However, his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 2018 when the Washington Supreme Court ruled the state's death penalty unconstitutional.
Robert Lee Yates Jr., known as the Spokane Serial Killer, was ultimately proven responsible for killing at least 16 people between 1975 and 1998. He is currently serving his life sentence at the Washington State Penitentiary. Michelyn Derning was one of his final victims, a woman who, despite the fear and challenges she faced, was fighting for a better future and the chance to be reunited with her son.
