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

Sirens & Gavels

Double murder suspect may be in Las Vegas

The reward for information leading to the capture of a Spokane man accused of gunning down two men in a dispute over a car trade is up to $1,750.

An anonymous donor recently gave $500 to Crime Stoppers, and another has said he’ll give $1,000.

The organization had already offered $250 for tips that help arrest Merle W. Harvey, 27.

“For information on a double homicide, there’s an inflation factor here,” said Spokane police Lt. Dave McGovern.

A search warrant filed Tuesday shows a tipster told investigators he or she knew of a man who'd received a call from Harvey on Sept. 27 saying he was in Las Vegas with his sister.

Police found that man's phone number through a child abuse report filed Sept. 28, according to a search warrant that seeks call records for that number.

At least one of the donors is a friend of victim Jack T. Lamere, who was shot to death with Jacob J. Potter, 45, on Sept. 26 while working on a car at 1310 W. Boone Ave.

Read the rest of my story here.

Look for another story this week exploring Lamere's ties to outlaw motorcycle gangs.



Public safety news from the Inland Northwest and beyond.