Police: Men share blame for slaying
Two longtime suspects in the 1987 killing of Tina E. Phillips have long blamed each other for the young woman’s death.
But police say it no longer matters who stabbed Phillips, because they have evidence to implicate both men in the robbery that led up to the murder.
Lloyd R. Moore Jr., 36, and Fidel A. Hudson, 40, both face first degree-murder charges in the case.
Moore was arrested Wednesday. Police are searching for Hudson, who is believed to still be in the Spokane area. Hudson has a criminal record that includes convictions for drugs, robbery and domestic violence-related offenses.
Moore and Hudson were at a party with Phillips on Sept. 10, 1987. They allegedly intended to rob her of drugs and money, according to court affidavits.
Phillips’ body was found stabbed at Grant Park.
Detectives at the time were disappointed when lab work done on evidence collected at the scene wasn’t able to show them what role each of the men played in Phillips’ death.
Hudson was arrested on suspicion of murder shortly after Phillips was found dead, but the charge was eventually dropped because detectives never had enough evidence for a prosecution, said Spokane Police Department Lt. Scott Stephens.
Stephens said detectives who handled the case at the time “ran into brick walls.”
“Regardless of when a homicide occurs, the detectives today are determined enough they’re going to get you,” Stephens said.
The break in the17-year-old murder came recently, when a detective interviewed Hudson while investigating an unrelated case. In the course of an interview with a detective on Sept. 16, Hudson admitted to having helped rob Phillips, saying he forced her to the ground after Moore stabbed her, according to court documents.
Both men continue to deny they stabbed Phillips, Stephens said.
Yet police say it doesn’t matter. If someone is killed during the course of a robbery, everyone involved in the robbery can be charged with murder, Stephens said.
Moore and Hudson knew they were still considered suspects in the case, Stephens said.
“They’ve been living with this for 17 years, waiting for the hammer to drop,” he said.