An armed robber tied to a string of violent home invasions across western Washington was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the killing of an Everett mother during a 2022 break-in.
Christopher Johnson, 24, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday, March 11, in Snohomish County Superior Court for the fatal shooting of 36-year-old Irah Sok, according to the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office.
Judge Patrick Moriarty sentenced Johnson to 25 years in prison under the terms of a plea agreement connected to both state and federal cases.
Investigators said Johnson was part of a robbery crew responsible for multiple home invasions in western Washington during the summer of 2022. The group included co-defendant Kevin Thissel, 29, and other accomplices, according to the sheriff’s office.
The crew targeted families during overnight break-ins, often bursting into homes while dressed in black clothing and masks, investigators said. During several robberies, the suspects falsely claimed to be police officers while pointing guns at residents.
Victims were restrained with zip ties — including children as young as nine years old — while the suspects searched homes for valuables, according to police.
Fatal Everett Home Invasion
One of those robberies ended in tragedy early Aug. 19, 2022.
Around 3 a.m., three armed suspects kicked in the front door of Sok’s home in the 2600 block of 96th Street SE in south Everett, authorities said.
The suspects entered the bedroom where Sok and her husband were sleeping. Sok was shot while her 7-year-old child lay beside her in bed.
Her husband was zip-tied on the floor while the suspects ransacked the house and stole thousands of dollars in belongings before fleeing, authorities said.
After the suspects left, Sok’s husband ran to a neighbor’s home where they called 911.
Federal Case Still Pending
Johnson previously agreed to plead guilty to second-degree murder in the Snohomish County case as part of a broader plea agreement tied to federal charges.
His federal sentencing is scheduled for May 6 before US District Judge Lauren King. Prosecutors and defense attorneys are expected to jointly recommend a 25-year sentence that would run concurrently with the state sentence, according to court records.
Remembering Irah Sok
Sok was a well-known photographer in the local community who specialized in maternity and newborn photography, according to a GoFundMe campaign created after her death.
Friends and family described her as a devoted mother, wife, and artist whose work captured the early moments of family life for many clients.
She is survived by her husband, Mak, and their young son, Greyson.
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