Hagans-Moore Sentenced to 23 Years Prison for Second-Degree Murder
Published 1:30 am Thursday, June 18, 2026
Clallam County Superior Court Judge Simon Barnhart followed the State’s recommendation and sentenced Marquise Hagans-Moore to 280 months in prison for one count of second-degree murder with a firearm enhancement. The sentence followed Hagans-Moore’s guilty plea in March. The sentence reflects the high end of the standard range for second-degree murder, 220 months, and includes a 60-month firearm enhancement.
Early in the morning of September 28, 2024, Hagans-Moore was at the victim, Rebecca “Becky” Rule’s home. Hagans-Moore and Rule had previously been in a romantic relationship. The two argued over other people in the home, including a friend Rule had over and two teenagers Hagans-Moore had brought with him.
Hagans-Moore pulled out a pistol and, in his words, “emptied a clip” into Rule. Once the gun was out of ammunition, Hagans-Moore beat Rule extensively with the gun. The King County Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy and determined Rule was shot ten times and suffered blunt force trauma that included multiple facial fractures and extensive bruising to her face, torso, and extremities.
Hagans-Moore then retrieved the two teenagers, who had been sleeping, walked them past Rule’s dead body, and drove them to the Tacoma area; Hagans-Moore made multiple phone calls and confessed to the murder during the trip to his aunt.
“There is no just punishment in a murder case such as this one because there is no punishment that can bring Becky back to her family and friends,” said Sr. Deputy Prosecutor Steven Johnson. In arguing for the high end of the range, Johnson pointed to the uncommon brutality of the murder, that Hagans-Moore had exposed multiple children to its aftermath, and the impact Rule’s murder had on her survivors.
Johnson noted that family members had described Rule as a “lively, loving person,” “a beautiful soul,” “a butterfly,” “would share what she had,” and having “a generous nature and compassionate view of the world.”
“This conviction demonstrates my office’s commitment to holding violent offenders accountable. Sr. Deputy Johnson, accompanied by one of my victim – witness coordinators and support staff did outstanding work in preparing the case while simultaneously supporting the survivors,” said Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols. “While this tragedy cannot be undone, we hope this conviction will help Becky’s family and friends to heal.”
Nichols thanked numerous law enforcement agencies that investigated or otherwise assisted with the case. Nichols specifically acknowledged the Port Angeles Police Department for its extensive investigative efforts. Other agencies that assisted included the Olympic Peninsula Narcotics Task Force, the Tacoma Police Department, the Washington State Patrol, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office, the King County Medical Examiner, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sentencing Information In Washington, felonies are sentenced pursuant to Chapter 9.94A RCW, known as the Sentencing Reform Act. Under the Act, judges must impose a sentence within the standard range for that offense. Ranges are determined by an offender’s offender score, typically prior felony convictions, and the seriousness level of an offense. Seriousness levels and sentencing ranges are set by the Legislature.
