Suspects Confess To Cabbie’s Murder Statements Match Evidence, Witness Accounts, Police Say

A man and two teens accused of shooting a Spokane cabdriver planned to commit murder before the cab they called even arrived, according to court documents.

The defendants, who are charged with first-degree murder, confessed shortly after they were arrested Thursday, Detective Nicolis Stanley wrote in the affidavit of probable cause. Their statements match physical evidence and witnesses’ accounts of the killing, which occurred just before midnight on March 6.

Alon Slater, 21, of Spokane showed no emotion Friday as his bail was set at $1 million. District Court Judge Brad Chinn said Slater, who is accused of shooting Duane “Dusty” Hutsell twice in the head, is a threat to the community.

According to the affidavit, Slater, along with Joshua Kaczor and Kory Ludwig, both 17-year-old Spokane residents, called for a cab from a North Side grocery store. They told the dispatcher from Lilac City Cab Co. to have the cabbie pick them up nearby at The Onion restaurant, 7522 N. Division.

According to their statements, the three planned a robbery while they waited, and Slater told the teens, “When I slit his throat, you guys grab the money.”

When Hutsell arrived, the trio told him to drive to the Cedar Sands Apartments, 212 E. Wedgewood. He stopped at the corner of Standard and Hill ‘N’ Dale, apologized for making a wrong turn and said he’d charge them only $3.50.

Slater reportedly responded, “Thank you, sir, but give me all your money. This is a robbery.”

Hutsell opened his door, and Slater, who was sitting in the back seat, shot him in the back of the head, the documents state.

Ludwig said he ran from the car.

Kaczor, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, could not open his door, so he climbed over Hutsell’s body and started running, he said. He fell not far from the cab.

According to the written report of Slater’s confession, he “waited to see if (Hutsell) was dead and then shot the cab driver again to make sure he was dead.”

Slater was taking money from Hutsell’s pockets when Ludwig returned to the cab. The three ran to a nearby apartment, where they stayed with two women, one of whom later told police she saw Slater with a handgun both before and after the shooting.

Lt. Jerry Oien said police have not found the murder weapon.

Oien said he did not know how much money was taken from Hutsell’s pockets, adding, “Even the cab company isn’t sure.”

Police received tips from a number of people who live near the intersection where Hutsell was killed. But it was a single, anonymous call that “turned the tide,” said Oien, who would not elaborate.

One of the two teenagers was arrested Thursday at the Public Safety Building. Slater and the other teen were arrested at a home in the West Central neighborhood.

Ludwig has no prior record, according to Spokane County juvenile court records.

Kaczor was charged with fourth-degree assault at the age of 11, but the charge was later dismissed, according to court records.

In 1996, Kaczor was charged with reckless driving and taking a vehicle without permission. He was charged earlier this month with possession of marijuana.

Chinn said during Friday’s hearing that Slater had failed to appear in court twice in 1994. Information about the charges he faced in 1994 was not available Friday.

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The following fields overflowed: BYLINE = Dan Hansen Staff writer Staff writer Kevin Blocker contributed to this report.