A jury has convicted a 51-year-old Spanaway man of murder in the second degree for the death last year of a man who was in his care. The Pierce County Superior Court jury, which delivered its verdict June 15 following a six-day trial, also found Larry John Lee guilty of manslaughter in the first degree and returned a special finding that the victim was particularly vulnerable. Lee remains in jail without possibility of bail while awaiting his sentencing, which is scheduled for June 30. Lee was a caregiver for Philip Carter, 59, who was admitted to Good Samaritan Hospital in May 2015 after Lee reported he was unresponsive. Carter lived under the care of Lee for several years, according to authorities who said Lee was paid thousands of dollars for the care. Carter suffered from mild mental impairment that required daily assistance of a caregiver, authorities said. At the hospital, Carter was treated for several large and deep bed sores, the worst of which went to the bone. Before Carter was hospitalized, the sores had been packed with paper towels. Lee's failure to treat the sores properly or seek medical care resulted in a serious infection that caused Carter's death within hours of arriving at Good Samaritan, authorities said. Hospital officials told Pierce County Sheriff Department invetigators that it was the worst case of neglect some of them had seen. Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Lindquist said the case "reinforced the message that we emphasize the protection of vulnerable adults.GÇ¥
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