Police investigating suspicious death of man found half naked in his home

Police are investigating the death of a man who was found Wednesday partially mummified and half naked with a suspicious wound under one armpit.

The man’s body was discovered at his home in the 1500 block of East 12th Avenue by a friend who had gone to check on him. Police officers who responded to the scene considered the scene suspicious in part because there were two broken drinking glasses on the floor of the living room near the body, according to court documents.

A wound that looked like a stab wound or a gunshot wound was found under his left armpit, documents state. The man was wearing a gray sweatshirt over a white t-shirt and a purple t-shirt. The purple t-shirt was covered in dried blood but the white t-shirt on top of it was not stained, according to court documents. Investigators also reported finding a bloody piece of glass in a bedroom.

The man has been identified as 56-year-old Ronald W. Stepchuk by the Spokane County Medical Examiner. His cause of death is listed as pending.

Neighbors told police that Stepchuk had recently had a roommate but they did not know the roommate’s name. They said they had last seen Stepchuk outside about 11 days before.