Stories by Thomas Clouse for the Spokesman-Review

News > Spokane

Jury convicts third suspect of murder stemming from Bret Snow disappearance

UPDATED: Thu., June 20, 2019

Counting the lunch break, a jury took less than two hours Thursday to find an accused-drug enforcer guilty of murdering and dismembering a man in Newman Lake four years ago.

News > Spokane

Feds respond to discovery of genetically engineered wheat on Washington farm

Thu., June 20, 2019

A federal agency has discovered genetically-altered wheat plants growing in Washington state that were engineered to be resistant to the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide, but the agency officials haven’t given any more details about where it was found.

News > Spokane

Murder trial begins for third suspect in Bret Snow disappearance

UPDATED: Mon., June 17, 2019

Attorneys delivered opening statements Monday in the trial of the third of four suspects charged with killing a man over an alleged botched drug deal in 2015.

News > Spokane

Air Force’s KC-46 tanker delays won’t affect Fairchild operations

Mon., June 17, 2019

A recent government report indicates that design problems with the Air Force’s new KC-46 Pegasus tanker could cost an additional $300 million and delay until next year the full delivery of the new airplane, which is designed to eventually replace the aging KC-135 Stratotankers like those based at Fairchild Air Force Base.

News > Spokane

Appellate judges uphold $7.5 million jury award against Spokane County

Sun., June 16, 2019

Appellate judges have upheld a $7.5 million award against Spokane County that a jury awarded a woman who was left paralyzed from the chest down in a motorcycle collision that occurred in 2011.

News > Spokane

Four new K-9 teams get certified in ceremony at Spokane Police Academy

UPDATED: Thu., June 13, 2019

The first time Spokane police Officer David Stone introduced his new partner, a German shepherd named Haywire, to his training officer, Haywire ended up hanging off the instructor’s arm by his teeth.

News > Spokane

Spokane man gets 20 years for stabbing death of girlfriend

UPDATED: Thu., June 13, 2019

A Spokane man received more than 20 years in prison Thursday after he previously pleaded guilty to stabbing to death a woman who was trying to help him clean up his life.

News > Spokane

Former Warden City Council member gets 10 years in prison for child pornography

UPDATED: Wed., June 12, 2019

A federal judge on Wednesday sentenced a former substitute teacher, Boy Scout troop leader and Warden City Council member to 10 years in prison after he previously pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography.

News > Spokane

Murder trial opens for Spokane babysitter charged with killing 10-month-old boy

UPDATED: Tue., June 25, 2019

Caiden Henry did not live long enough to form words. But attorneys spoke extensively on the dead baby’s behalf Wednesday as the second-degree murder trial opened for the babysitter who was charged with beating the 10-month-old to death in 2017.

News > Crime/Public Safety

Emergency crews respond to Spokane County Jail death

UPDATED: Tue., June 11, 2019

Spokane County Sheriff’s detectives are trying to determine how an inmate in the Spokane County Jail died. The inmate was found at about 2:20 a.m. Tuesday morning.

News > Spokane

Retired Rathdrum educator lives his dream of ranching

UPDATED: Sun., June 9, 2019

Gordon Sylte worked 35 years as a teacher and school counselor to subsidize his first love: ranching family ground at the foot of Rathdrum Mountain.

News > Spokane

Spokane County Sheriff’s SWAT deployed by helicopter to shooting in Ferry County

UPDATED: Fri., June 7, 2019

Members of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team were airlifted Friday from Spokane to Republic after a shooting incident occurred when Washington Fish and Wildlife officers tried to execute a warrant. One person has been found dead inside the residence.

News > Spokane

Second murder trial begins for suspect in Bret Snow disappearance

UPDATED: Tue., June 4, 2019

A second jury began hearing evidence Tuesday in the first-degree murder case against one of four people charged with the slaying of Bret R. Snow, who authorities believe was killed and dismembered in a Newman Lake shop before his remains were hidden.

News > Crime/Public Safety

Coeur d’Alene student arrested after leaving gun in pickup

UPDATED: Fri., May 31, 2019

A Coeur d’Alene high school student was taken into custody Friday after another student reported a gun inside the fellow student’s vehicle, which was parked at Lake City High School.

News > Spokane

Two Post Falls men sentenced for stealing gun used to kill CDA Police Sgt. Greg Moore

UPDATED: Fri., May 31, 2019

Two Post Falls men who stole the gun that later was used to kill Coeur d’Alene Police Sgt. Greg Moore have been sentenced in federal court in Idaho after they were convicted of possession of a stolen firearm.

News > Spokane

Defendant yells at judge after jury reaches no consensus in baby injury trial

UPDATED: Thu., May 30, 2019

Just moments after the announcement that a jury failed to reach a verdict in a baby assault case on Thursday, the defendant began yelling at Superior Court Judge Annette Plese after she personally saw him violate the terms of his release and ordered him held on a $50,000 bond.

News > Spokane

Suspect in Spokane machete killing gets 6 1/2 years

UPDATED: Thu., May 30, 2019

A man implicated in a large fight, which resulted in the machete-stabbing death of a Spokane man last October, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in connection to the killing and has been sentenced to 6 1/2 years in prison.

News > Spokane

Pasco man sentenced for trafficking Mexican cartel drugs to Spokane area

UPDATED: Wed., May 29, 2019

A previously convicted drug dealer from Pasco, who spent less than a year out of federal prison before getting arrested again, was sentenced Wednesday to about 25 years in prison as part of a criminal conspiracy that transported pounds of Mexican cartel methamphetamine to the Spokane area.

News > Spokane

Convicted robber gets 24 years in prison for string of crimes in 2016

UPDATED: Wed., May 29, 2019

A prolific robber, who did most of his criminal damage in King County, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison after pleading guilty to a series of crimes in the Spokane area in 2016 that originally had included kidnapping charges.

News > Spokane

YWCA to host judge who sentenced sexual predator Larry Nassar, USA Gymnastics doctor

UPDATED: Wed., May 29, 2019

A local organization that works to give voice to victims is bringing in one of the loudest of them: The judge who presided over the Larry Nassar USA Gymnastics sex-abuse scandal.

News > Spokane

Third Ferris coach in four years accused of inappropriate interactions with a student

UPDATED: Fri., May 24, 2019

The Ferris High School wrestling coach resigned earlier this month after an investigation was launched into whether he had inappropriate interactions with a female student. The incident marks the third time in four years that a coach at the South Hill school has been implicated with allegations of improper interactions.

News > Crime/Public Safety

Wilbur man gets 11 years in federal prison for stalking woman with GPS devices

UPDATED: Thu., May 23, 2019

A convicted felon from Wilbur has been sentenced to more than 11 years in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to illegally possessing firearms and placing GPS devices on his former lover’s vehicles to stalk her.

News > Pacific NW

Mexico tariff pull back boosts Washington apple industry prospects

Thu., May 23, 2019

After a full year of uncertainty surrounding Washington's signature crop, growers finally got a container ship of good news this week as Mexico officials announced that they had eliminated their 20% tariff on imports of apples.

News > Crime/Public Safety

Child abuse trial begins in case of Spokane baby who suffered bleeding on brain

UPDATED: Tue., May 21, 2019

Attorneys delivered differing accounts Tuesday about how a Spokane infant suffered bleeding on the brain in 2017 that will impair him for the rest of his life, including vision problems.

News > Spokane

Spokane psychologists Mitchell and Jessen called to testify about ‘torture’ techniques in 9/11 tribunals

UPDATED: Mon., May 20, 2019

Two Spokane psychologists, who designed the “enhanced interrogation” techniques that a federal judge later said constituted torture, could publicly testify for the first time after they have been summoned before a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for the trial of five men charged with helping to plan and assist in the 9/11 attacks.

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