Dibartolo Free On Bail Accused Killer Uses His House As Collateral

Tom DiBartolo walked out of the Spokane County Jail at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, just in time to get to his Medical Lake home for dinner.

A woman waiting in the jail lobby shouted “murderer” at him as he passed by.

DiBartolo, the sheriff’s deputy charged with murdering his wife of 19 years, said nothing as he walked briskly to a waiting white, two-door Saturn.

Reporters buzzed around him. One asked if he had killed his wife, Patty, a mother of five shot dead last November in a South Hill park.

“Mr. DiBartolo has no comments to make to anyone at this time,” said his attorney, Maryann Moreno, who led him out of the jail.

DiBartolo, 42, wearing the same gray slacks and white dress shirt he wore in court two days before, stepped into the back seat of the car and was driven away.

Detectives say the 18-year deputy shot his wife in the back of the head Nov. 2 then gave himself a superficial gunshot wound in the abdomen in an attempted cover-up.

DiBartolo, who has pleaded not guilty to the crime, blamed the attack on robbers.

Superior Court Judge Neal Q. Rielly cleared the way for DiBartolo’s release Tuesday when he reduced the deputy’s original $250,000 cash bond to $125,000. The judge also agreed to allow him to put up his house as collateral to cover the bond.

DiBartolo can remain free on bond until his June trial as long as he complies with a list of court-ordered conditions.

He must stay away from 27 people, including his oldest son and daughter, and remain in his house at 13803 S. Finney Road between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. each day.

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