Homicide victim’s roommate arrested on drug charge

The roommate of a man found dead near Green Bluff last week has been arrested on a felony drug charge.
Miguel A. Rodriguez-Barbosa, 18, was booked into Spokane County Jail today about 3 p.m. on suspicion of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.
Detectives found several hundred grams of marijuana Oct. 20 when they searched the home Rodriguez-Barbosa shared with Jesus Torres Valdovinos, 25, at 623 E. Vicksburg, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.
Rodriguez-Barbosa was arrested a week later instead of that day because “we were ready to arrest him today,” said Sgt. Dave Reagan …

The roommate of a man found dead near Green Bluff last week has been arrested on a felony drug charge.

Miguel A. Rodriguez-Barbosa, 18, was booked into Spokane County Jail today about 3 p.m. on suspicion of possession of marijuana with intent to deliver.

Detectives found several hundred grams of marijuana Oct. 20 when they searched the home Rodriguez-Barbosa shared with Jesus Torres Valdovinos, 25, at 623 E. Vicksburg, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

Rodriguez-Barbosa was arrested a week later instead of that day because “we were ready to arrest him today,” said Sgt. Dave Reagan.

The teen has asked for a lawyer and declined to answer questions, Reagan said.

Rodriguez-Barbosa told investigators last week that he was being trained to take over a large marijuana business of Valdovinos’ for a year-long trip Valdovinos planned to take to Mexico, according to search warrants filed Monday.

Rodriguez-Barbosa said he’d seen Valdovinos’ marijuana supplier leave the home Oct. 17 after receiving $85,000 to cover a drug and vehicle debt.

Valdovinos was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head and wrapped in two blankets on the shoulder of Day-Mt. Spokane Road about 11:30 a.m. Oct. 18.

No arrests have been made in the homicide.

Detectives are looking for information on a storage unit in Spokane that Valdovinos or Rodriguez-Barbosa rented; the teen told detectives Valdovinos stored guns, marijuana and money there. Investigators also are still looking for a love seat missing from the home.

Anyone with information on the love seat, storage unit or Valdovinos’ activities Oct. 17 and Oct. 18 is asked to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.