Man gets 10 years for beating Spokane man to death

The man accused of beating a Spokane man to death for drug money three years ago will spend 10 years in prison.

Jeffery Sankey, 49, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in late February. Prosecutors initially charged him with murder in the death of Mark Broadwater. Court records say Broadwater owed Sankey money for heroin and methamphetamine.

Broadwater’s mother reported him missing in April 2013, but it took investigators more than a year to find his body, stuffed in a city of Spokane garbage bin and dumped down a steep slope in Kootenai County near Fernan Lake.

Police then arrested Sankey along with Peter O’Brien, who was accused of helping beat Broadwater to death, and Judy Diamond, who was present for the beating.

O’Brien told investigators Sankey kicked and punched Broadwater multiple times and sealed his mouth shut with duct tape. O’Brien also hit Broadwater with brass knuckles, court documents say.

The pair returned to Broadwater’s apartment later to dispose of the body.

Sankey has thirteen prior felony convictions for drugs, burglary and assault. His case is the last in Broadwater’s killing.

O’Brien died in February 2015 before his case was resolved.

Diamond pleaded guilty to rendering criminal assistance in April 2015 and was sentenced to 275 days in jail.

Sankey also was ordered to pay about $6,500 in restitution and court costs.