TACOMA, WASHINGTON: A man has been found guilty of gunning down a woman five years ago to prevent her from giving testimony against him in another case. Michael Eugene Beauchamp took the life of Ginger Phillips, also known as Ginger Gover, in 2018. The 41-year-old woman had been missing for weeks before her body was found in South Hill in September 2018.
The 59-year-old man was found guilty of aggravated murder in the first degree, murder in the second degree, assault in the first degree, and malicious mischief in the second degree on Wednesday, July 12, by a jury, as reported by Law & Crime. Following the conviction, the victim’s mother, Ingrid Phillips, said, "Guilty on everything, guilty on everything, one right after the other. We were squeezing each other's hands, couldn't believe it, that it is actually over," to the NBC Seattle affiliate King 5 News.
Who is Michael Beauchamp?
Beauchamp is a convicted criminal recently held responsible for murdering Ginger and is expected to get life imprisonment during his sentencing on August 18. The convict has been in police custody since October 2018 after being slapped with arson and burglary charges, as per a 2020 report. When the man was declared guilty of taking the life of Ginger by a Pierce County jury, the victim's mother wished for her father’s presence, saying, “He [Wayne Phillips] passed away in December 2021. He died before he could get justice. It is heavy on my mind." Ginger’s father reportedly filed a missing person report in July 2018 after she failed to contact him for days. At the time, Detective Ed Troyer of the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office said, "We believe she ran into foul play. What led up to her death is still under investigation. We are trying to backtrack her whereabouts like we have been when we found her car stripped out and abandoned."
'Thank you for staying on the case to its conclusion'
Meanwhile, Pierce County Sheriff's Department has also issued a statement after Beauchamp’s judgment, which read, "Our detectives worked extensively on this case through 2019, gathering evidence and locating and interviewing numerous witnesses. Please join us in thanking the detectives and prosecutors who worked so diligently to bring Ginger Gover’s killer to justice." Several people commented below the Facebook statement, with a user saying, "Well done! This is amazing work you all did! May God protect you always." Another user wrote, "Great work by all involved in the investigation. Thank you for your hard work and perseverance. Great job. Blessings and thank you PCSD." "Thank you for staying on the case to its conclusion! I appreciate the men and women of PCSD who do the hard work to bring these criminals to justice!" stated one, while a well-wisher added, "May you all be blessed and protected in the work you do. Always proud of our Pierce County Sheriffs."