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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

FBI officials aid investigation into South Hill slaying

The exterior of a home police have linked to James Henrikson north of Watford City, N.D., on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2014. Spokane detectives have said they think Henrikson directed the fatal shooting of Douglas Carlile at his South Hill home in December. (Neal A. Shipman / McKenzie County Farmer)
From staff reports
An FBI spokesman and local law enforcement officials in North Dakota confirm they are assisting the Spokane Police Department in its investigation of a potential murder-for-hire plot in the death of Douglas Carlile. Kyle Loven, a spokesman for the FBI’s Minneapolis Division, told the Bismarck Tribune on Thursday agents in North Dakota are working with Spokane Police on its investigation into Carlile’s shooting death in his South Hill home Dec. 15. Spokane detectives have said they think James Henrikson, a former business associate of Carlile’s, directed Timothy Suckow, 50, to kill Carlile. Henrikson told police shortly after the shooting Carlile owed him close to $2 million related to oil speculation deals in western North Dakota. Suckow is in custody of the Spokane County Jail in lieu of $2 million bail. Henrikson gave an address to police just north of Watford City, a rapidly growing boom town on the fringe of North Dakota’s Bakken Shale oil fields in McKenzie County. Sheriff John Fulwider told the McKenzie County Farmer on Thursday his agency was ready to assist federal agents in the county looking into his “ties to wrongdoings in Washington.” Earlier this week, Spokane police searched a home belonging to a coworker of Suckow’s and found several guns the coworker said belonged to the alleged gunman. At least one of the guns matched the description of the firearm police think was used to kill Carlile. Police records link Suckow to a known associate of Henrikson’s, according to court documents. Suckow’s phone also contained a contact labeled “James ND” that matched the number police had on file for Henrikson. Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub said at a news conference Tuesday following Suckow’s arrest that the investigation was continuing.
McKenzie County Farmer reporter Stephanie Norman and Bismarck Tribune reporter Jenny Michael contributed to this report.