Man Charged With Attempted Murder Of Former Girlfriend Man Allegedly Used Stun Gun, Then Pulled Knife On Woman

Sheila Church was forgiving the first time Timothy Price attacked and threatened to kill her. This time, she’s giving no quarter.

The Spokane woman is crusading to have her former live-in boyfriend sent to prison for a very long time.

Price, 33, is in jail today, charged with first-degree attempted murder for reportedly attacking Church, 34, in her home Wednesday night.

Police say he shocked the woman with a stun gun, then put a knife to her throat and threatened to kill her in the basement of her house in the 1500 block of West Arabian.

Church told police Price put foam padding over the basement window to muffle any sounds she might make. He also rigged a hook in the ceiling from which to hang a noose, she said.

Detectives said Price was carrying rope, a knife and a stun gun when he was arrested later that night.

Church said she calmed Price by telling him she still loved him.

“There’s no doubt in my mind he was prepared to kill me,” Church said Friday. “I don’t understand how I got out of it.”

It wasn’t the first time Price threatened to murder Church, according to court records.

About a year ago, Price got drunk and went berserk, handcuffing Church’s wrists together and beating and choking her, the records show.

He put a knife to her throat and said he would slit her throat and his own, according to the documents.

The two had been dating for about three months at the time of that attack. Church said she wasn’t aware of Price’s temper at that time.

“He was quiet and had no problems that I was aware of,” she said.

Church was saved when a neighbor heard the commotion and called police. Price was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and unlawful imprisonment, both felonies. He later pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor charges.

According to court documents, deputy prosecutor John Driscoll and defense attorney Greg Sypolt both were preparing for murder trials at the time and eager to make a deal.

Price, facing substantially more prison time if convicted of a felony, leaped at the opportunity to plead guilty to the lesser charges.

Church said she supported the plea bargain, although she broke off the relationship.

“I agreed to it because I thought he needed intensive counseling, that jail wasn’t the way to go,” she said.

District Court Judge Sam Cozza sentenced Price to a year in jail on each count, but suspended almost all the jail time. Cozza also ordered Price to get therapy.

Price went to counseling for about two months before dropping out in July, court records state.

He was supposed to appear in court in early October to explain to Cozza why he wasn’t in counseling, but he didn’t show. A warrant was issued for his arrest the next week.

But he wasn’t picked up until Wednesday night, after Church said he broke into her house.

, DataTimes