A sex offender suspected of killing a Spokane woman who was working as a prostitute last August has been charged with murder.

Derrick Ross Vargas, 25, is to appear in Superior Court today on a first-degree murder charge for the brutal slaying of Evon M. Moore, 48, whose body was found in an alley near North Ralph Street and East Riverside Avenue Aug. 13.

Vargas was released from federal prison on Aug. 2 after serving about four years for having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl when he was 19.

He's been in the Spokane County Jail since Sept. 23 after a Washington State Patrol trooper contacted him during a traffic stop and a woman jumped out of his truck and said she'd been raped. 

Police say the woman was working as a prostitute on East Sprague Avenue when she met Vargas.

Police realized Vargas' truck matched a truck seen on the surveillance video near where Moore's body was found.

Detectives found a pair of shoes with blood on them in Vargas' East Trent Avenue apartment that matched the shoe tread pattern found near Moore's body. They also found a purse believed to belong to Moore, who was a student at Spokane Community College.

Spokane police are recommending murder, rape, robbery and kidnapping charges against a sex offender suspected of killing a Spokane woman who was working as a prostitute last August.

Major crimes detectives have submitted the charging request for Derrick Ross Vargas, 24, (right) to the Spokane County Prosecutor's Office, police said today.

Vargas, who has long been a suspect, is accused of raping and murdering Evon M. Moore, 48, whose body was found in an alley near North Ralph Street and East Riverside Avenue Aug. 13. Police said the condition Moore's body showed she was obviously the victim of a “brutal murder.”

A woman jumped out of his red truck and said Vargas had raped her. Police say the woman was working as a prostitute on East Sprague Avenue when she met Vargas - just like Moore (left). And Vargas' truck matched  a truck seen on the surveillance video near where Moore's body was found.

A sex offender accused of killing a 48-year-old Spokane woman had the victim's purse in his apartment when detectives searched it after his arrest in a separate rape case, according to newly filed court documents.

Police identified Derrick Ross Vargas, 24, as a suspect after he was arrested on  suspicion of rape after a traffic stop Sept. 23 in his 1995 red Chevy pickup with an extended cab.

Search warrants filed today say the tire treads on Vargas' truck appear to match the treads left where Evon M. Moore's body was found at Riverside and Ralph on Aug. 13. Her neck was broken, but medical examiners said they couldn't determine if she died of strangulation because of the damaged caused by a vehicle running her over.

Moore appeared to have been run over, and her skull was split open. Police saw what appeared to be blood splatters, human tissue and a single hair on the outside of the truck when they looked at it in the police evidence room Sept. 27.

Detectives found a pair of shoes with blood on them in Vargas' East Trent Avenue apartment that matched the shoe tread pattern found near Moore's body. They also found a purse believed to belong to Moore.

Family described Moore as a dedicated student studying to be a paralegal, but a woman told police she and Moore were working as prostitutes at East Sprague Avenue and South Altamont Street the day her body was found, according to the search warrants.

Vargas pleaded not guilty Wednesday to first-degree rape for an alleged attack on a prostitute that led to his arrest. He has not yet been charged in connection with Moore's death.

Past coverage:

Sept. 29: Sex offender suspected in Evon Moore homicide

Sept. 23: Recently released sex offender arrested for rape

A sex offender arrested on suspicion of rape last week has been identified as a suspect in the homicide of a woman whose body was found near an east Spokane warehouse in August.

Derrick Ross Vargas, 24, has not been charged in the death of Evon M. Moore, 48, but detectives have searched his apartment and vehicle, Spokane Police Officer Jennifer DeRuwe said Thursday

 Vargas was released from federal prison on Aug. 2 after serving about four years for a sex crime.

Moore’s body was found near Riverside Avenue and Ralph Street on Aug. 13.

Vargas was driving a red early ‘90s Chevrolet pickup when he was arrested last week.

The truck matches the description of a vehicle caught on surveillance camera in the area where Moore’s body was found.

Read the rest of my story here.

Past coverage:

Sept. 23: Recently released sex offender arrested for rape

Aug. 15: Slain woman was dedicated student, family says

Police are asking for help identifying another pickup truck that may be connected to the homicide of a woman found dead behind an east Spokane warehouse.

Investigators released two photos of a red late 90s to early 200s Chevrolet pickup with an extra cab today in hopes that people will come forward with information.

Police say the driver may frequent the area of Ralph Street and West Riverside Avenue and was photographed there in the early morning hours of Aug. 13. Evon M. Moore, 48, was found dead in the area later that day.

Moore’s cause of death has not been determined pending the police investigation, but an autopsy confirmed her death was a homicide, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Detectives have identified another truck caught on camera in the area and don’t believe it was involved in the homicide.

Anyone with information about the new truck or Moore’s death is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Police believe a pickup truck caught on camera near where a woman was found dead earlier this month was not involved in the homicide.

 Detectives identified the truck and driver after releasing two surveillance photos of the vehicle to the public on Monday, Officer Teresa Fuller said Tuesday.

“At this time, investigators do not believe that the truck was involved,” Fuller said.

Evon M. Moore, 48, was found dead near Ralph Street and West Riverside Avenue Aug. 13. Her cause of death has not been determined pending the police investigation, but an autopsy confirmed her death was a homicide, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Anyone with information about Moore’s death is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Past coverage:

Aug. 15: Slain woman was dedicated student, family says

Police are asking for help identifying a pickup truck that may be connected to the homicide of a woman found dead behind an east Spokane warehouse.

 Investigators released two photos of the pickup today in hopes that people will come forward with information on who the driver may have been in the early hours of Aug. 13.

Evon M. Moore, 48, was found dead near Ralph Street and West Riverside Avenue later that day. Her cause of death has not been determined pending the police investigation, but an autopsy confirmed her death was a homicide, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office.

 Moore had felony drug and burglary convictions from 2005 but was studying at Spokane Community College to be a legal administrative assistant.

Anyone with information about the truck or Moore’s death is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.

Past coverage:

Aug. 15: Slain woman was dedicated student, family says

Friends and family of homicide victim Evon M. Moore are holding a car wash today to raise money for her memorial. Moore's daughter, Tarah Krivenko, said she expects to be at West Buckeye Avenue and North Division Street for several more hours today, along with Moore's partner of 10 years, Marzelle Gower.

Krivenko said donations have been coming in none stop, and strangers have volunteered to help.

Spokane police still are trying to determine how Moore (pictured) ended up dead behind an east Spokane warehouse on Saturday, and who put her there.

She was studying at Spokane Community College to be a legal administrative assistant. Moore's memorial is set for Saturday at 10 a.m. at Ball & Dodd Funeral Home, 5100 W. Wellseley Ave.

Spokane police Detective Chet Gilmore walks near an alley at Ralph Street and Riverside Avenue, where a woman's body was found Saturday. (SRphoto/Jesse Tinsley)

When Tarah Krivenko last spoke with her mother on Friday, she said the 48-year-old Spokane Community College student was planning to help a friend with her homework.

 But when her mother didn’t return home that night, Krivenko suspected something was wrong.

Those fears were confirmed Saturday after the body of Krivenko’s mother, Evon M. Moore, (pictured) was found in an alley behind an east Spokane warehouse.

“This is the biggest tragedy of so many people’s lives,” said Krivenko, who also is a student. “She’s such a loving person, and all these people are grieving her.”

Read the rest of my story here.