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August 23, 2011 in City
Man accused of stealing firearm used in slaying of Stevens County resident
A 26-year-old man has been charged with stealing the firearm that was later used to kill a Stevens County man in what investigators believe was a botched burglary.
Christopher George Nichols remains in the Stevens County Jail on $500,000 bond after pleading not guilty last week to nine counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, nine counts of theft of a firearm, and single counts of residential burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and trafficking in stolen property in the first degree.
Detectives believe Nichols, a convicted felon, burglarized the home of Robert Hannigan, 3294-H Bradeen Road, on June 28 with Eric Lee Booth, 26, who is accused of shooting Gordon Feist to death on July 17.
Feist served three tours in Vietnam as a U.S. Navy SEAL, and it was considered in character for him to confront prowlers outside his upscale home south of Colville, according to a police report. Booth had worked at the home before; detectives believe he told Feist he’d run out of gas when he was confronted, and that Feist trusted him and let his guard down.
The 63-year-old retiree was shot to death as he gave Booth a ride on his utility vehicle to his supposedly out-of-gas car, detectives believe. The vehicle then crashed into a power pole. Booth was arrested three days later after a Washington Department of Corrections officer noticed cuts on his face consistent with the crash while talking to Booth’s brother. It took four officers to restrain Booth and place him in handcuffs, according to a police report.
Booth told deputies he burglarized Hannigan’s home with Nichols, and deputies located two stolen rings through a Spokane pawn shop database. Nichols denied pawning the items, but a receipt at Pawn 1 in north Spokane was signed by him, according to police.
Booth faces $750,000 bail for murder, burglary and gun charges. The investigation into Feist’s death is ongoing.
Human trafficking suspects released 
Squid on August 23 at 12:25 p.m.
Maybe if the cops and the system did their jobs….
Investigate property crimes!
Property crimes lead to more property crimes.
Property crimes lead to more serious crimes.
TuanoTheGreat on August 23 at 2:52 p.m.
I don’t believe that bashing our law enforcement guys can help solve anything, this low life would have committed this or any other crime independently of police intervention to prevent it. Keep in mind that without them (law enforcement) our society falls into chaos/anarchy. These are just my two cents.
Squid on August 23 at 4:07 p.m.
Seems to me that the police have their own brand of chaos and anarchy.
If this guy was in prison for robbery, (and I’d guess he has way more than three strikes, but the three strikes rule is not enforced) he wouldn’t be a stealin’ and a murderin’ good honest, hard working people.
Have you ever heard of the police investigating a property crime lately? They tell you to report it to your insurance company. You get a case number after you call Crime Check with serial numbers of the stolen items. No fingerprints or any other investigating. You are told that they don’t have any available officers, even though there are always plenty to give traffic tickets and respond to violent crimes or traffic accidents.
TuanoTheGreat on August 23 at 9:56 p.m.
Well, if property crimes are not investigated lately is because our politicians have decided to shrink our budget, hence cutting the number of officers available to effectively do their jobs. In my humble opinion, we should make our elected officials more accountable for what have trickle down with this massive budget cuts. I feel your pain; however, I have no sympathy for the simple fact that Olympia has not been responsible enough to balance a budget and get/shield us from this mess we’re in. There will be a lot heads rolling in the next election that’s for sure. I am for sure going to vote out some of those irresponsible/ineffective public officials we have in our state capitol doing nothing but occupying a space. Enough is enough!!!!!!!
Squid on August 23 at 10:32 p.m.
I agree with the bulk of that, but we differ in opinion as to the reason for not investigating property crimes. I think the police departments have their priorities all wrong. I think they get enough money to investigate property crimes. They would rather hire more officers and administration, and buy super high tech equipment instead. It’s all in how you use the money you get. Management is the problem. Fingerprint kits are cheap. Training to take fingerprints correctly, is cheap. Logging the fingerprint data is cheap. Multiple robots are expensive.
I am in full agreement that we need new blood that do their jobs when they are elected. You’re not the only one who thinks enough is enough. Nothing ever gets better when the government is involved.
TuanoTheGreat on August 23 at 11:28 p.m.
I am glad that at least we agree on something! I think you have your heart in the right place, but your ideas are somewhat confused as to who needs your support and who does not. Keep in mind that we do not pay enough to those guys in uniform to do the job we expect them to do. The least they deserve is our support. By the way, I am not in law enforcement; however, I back those guys up 300 % for I think what they do is beyond commendable considering the lousy compensation they get in return. God bless!!!!!!!!
Squid on August 23 at 11:42 p.m.
I support the police… Just not their management. May God bless you as well!!!!!