Accused of killing a Kirkland family and setting their home on fire more than three years ago, Bellevue native Conner Schierman faced a jury in a packed courtroom Wednesday at the King County Courthouse.

National Guard Sgt. Leonid Milkin sat in uniform just feet behind Schierman as he listened to the details play out surrounding the murder of his family, including his 28-year-old wife, Olga; his two sons – Justin, 5 and Andrew, 3 – and sister-in-law, Lyubov Botvina, 24.

Milkin was serving in Iraq during the July 2006 slaying.

Schierman, 28, has pleaded not guilty to the alleged crimes, but he could face the death penalty if the jury convicts him.

King County Deputy Prosecutor Scott O’Toole told the jury that Schierman was “well armed” the night he murdered his neighbors.

On that warm summer night, Schierman packed a flashlight, gloves and hunting knife before he walked from his duplex to his neighbor’s home across Slater Avenue, O’Toole said during his opening statement.

Schierman is accused of stabbing the family to death and setting the home on fire.

“Their only mistake was that they lived across the street from that man,” O’Toole said.

Earlier that day, Olga and Lyubov attended church, then hosted a barbecue for friends while the boys played in the backyard.

Schierman clocked out at 9 p.m. from his maintenance job at Carillon Point and drove home. That night, he hung out with friends, played video games and Dungeons and Dragons until midnight. During that time, Schierman’s friends noticed a “curious thing” while they were outside smoking a cigarette, O’Toole said.

Using a mock Eastern European accent, Schierman made a comment about the neighbors across the street “so vulgar he apologized to his sister,” he said.

The following morning, firefighters responded to several reports of a fire at the Milkin residence.

As firefighters crawled through the smoldering home, they found the bodies of Olga and Lyubov in an upstairs bedroom propped against a bed. They also found the two boys at the top of the stairs, lying just feet from their mother.

All suffered “extreme” damage from the fire and had multiple stab wounds to their neck, back and head.

“Call it what you will, a mass killing, the obliteration of a family,” O’Toole told the jury. “I will stand before you at closing time and ask you to call it what it is – four counts of aggravated murder in the first degree.”

Schierman has also been charged with one count of first-degree arson. He has pleaded not guilty to the murder, telling police he woke up in the master bedroom of the Milkin home covered in blood after an alcoholic blackout.

However, during an initial interview with police, Schierman did not mention he was intoxicated, drunk or even buzzed, said O’Toole.

Investigators also recovered Schierman’s DNA from several items found in the Milkin’s home, including a pair of men’s shorts, socks, T-shirt and pair of gloves. In addition, Olga’s DNA was identified on Schierman’s necklace he wore when he was arrested after the killing. DNA of both women was found on the soles of Schierman’s shoes.

His attorneys declined to give an opening statement Wednesday.

The Reporter will provide updates throughout the trial, which is expected to continue through March.