In brief: Rape suspect arrested
Within minutes of receiving a report early Saturday of a burglary and rape in the Whitman neighborhood in north Spokane, a Spokane police K-9 tracked down the suspect.
A resident in the 1400 block of East Rowan Avenue called police about a burglary about 12:17 a.m. When officers arrived, the victim told them the burglar had raped her, according to a news release.
Police quickly got a description and called a canine unit to track the suspect. Officers spotted a man on the corner of North Avenue and Perry Street matching the suspect’s description.
The man then ran north on Perry, with Duke and his handler in pursuit, police said. The suspect, identified as Derrick Billy, 25, was apprehended in the alley about 12:30 a.m. He was booked into jail on charges of first-degree rape and first-degree burglary.
Death is likely homicide
Spokane County sheriff’s deputies responded to a call Saturday night in the 800 block of North Bowman Road and found a dead woman inside a home in an apparent homicide.
Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan said officers quickly apprehended the suspect and locked down the scene. Traffic in the area was shut down.
Police responding to the home had reason to believe an assault had taken place, and they entered the home based on exigent circumstances, Reagan said.
Neither the victim’s name nor the name of the suspect were released Saturday night.
“We’re in the very early stages of a homicide investigation,” Reagan said shortly before 10:30 p.m. Saturday.