Trial Underway for White Suprematist Gang Founder Accused in 2023 Maple Valley Double Homicide

The trial for Brandon Gerner is underway in Kent. Gerner is accused of the 2023 murders of two people in Maple Valley and leading a white supremacist gang.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 7, 2026, 6:29 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from FOX 13 Seattle

The 2023 Maple Valley Killings

The trial of Brandon Gerner has commenced at the Maleng Regional Justice Center, addressing the violent deaths of Robert Leroy Riley and Ashley Nicole Williams. In November 2023, King County Sheriff’s deputies discovered the victims' bodies discarded in bushes and hidden beneath refuse in Maple Valley. Prosecutors allege that Gerner and his associate, Kody Olsen, confronted the pair during a drug transaction that turned violent. According to court documents, Riley was shot and Williams was stabbed more than 20 times before being shot a second time.

The Role of Kody Olsen

While Gerner faces the current trial, his alleged accomplice, Kody Olsen, will never face a jury. Olsen died following a high-stakes confrontation with Pierce County deputies on December 12, 2023. During a DUI traffic stop and subsequent pursuit, Olsen opened fire, wounding two deputies before being fatally shot by law enforcement. Before his death, Olsen reportedly provided statements to investigators that implicated both himself and Gerner in the Maple Valley murders, though the two men frequently shifted blame regarding who delivered the fatal blows.

Gang Affiliations and Ritual Sacrifice

The investigation into Gerner has revealed a history of extremist activity and bizarre retaliatory behavior. Authorities identified Gerner as the founder of a white supremacist prison gang, of which Olsen was a prominent member. Following Olsen’s death in the police shootout, investigators claim Gerner killed a horse in Pierce County as an act of vengeance. Informants told detectives that Gerner described the killing of the animal as a sacrifice to the Norse god Odin to honor his fallen associate.