Final suspects in homicide arrested

The final suspect wanted in connection with Shannon Cochran’s Jan. 16 stabbing death turned himself in early this morning by calling a Spokane police sergeant on his cell phone. “He wanted to tell his side of the story,” said Sgt. Joe Peterson. Christopher Hooper was picked up about 3 a.m. Monday, 10 days after Cochran was stabbed eight times, police said. Hooper faces a charge of second-degree murder. Justine Fry, Hooper’s girlfriend, was arrested Sunday night on a charge of felony riot, police said. She had a knife when she went with four other teens who planned to pick a fight. Hooper and Fry were the last of five suspects in the homicide sought by police. On Jan. 16, Cochran was killed defending his friend Ricky Edmonds. A group of teens told Cochran they were going to beat up Edmonds over a $300 debt, and Cochran told them if they had a problem with Edmonds, then they had one with him, too. A stab wound to the heart killed 22-year-old Cochran. Doctors told police he suffered eight stab wounds inflicted by a steak knife. Police say the conflict between Edmonds and this group have been ongoing. “It’s such an old argument; everyone’s forgotten what he owes the money for,” said Sgt. Joe Peterson. “Some people say it’s for dope;” others say it’s for pornographic pay-per-view charges. “The poor victim just happened to get there at the wrong time,” Peterson said. Michael Summa, whom police say stabbed Cochran, was arrested Jan. 18. He has been charged with second-degree murder. Tylor Buttolph and Elsye Giele were arrested Thursday, police said. Buttolph also faces a second-degree murder charge. Giele was arrested for rendering criminal assistance as were Buttolph’s parents, Danny and Tanya Wood. Arresting seven people in connection with one homicide is unusual, Peterson said. Authorities say the accused teens are affiliated with the gang Nortenos. The homicide was not classified as gang related, however, Peterson said. The accused teens were involved in drugs, including marijuana and methamphetamine. “We got a gang problem and a dope problem,” he said.