Man charged in Hillyard death

A convicted felon appeared in court Friday via closed-circuit television to face allegations that he gunned down a fellow drug dealer by shooting him six times in the head on Dec. 10.

Brady Joe Lewis, 29, was ordered to remain in the Spokane County Jail on a $500,000 bond after he was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the Dec. 10 killing of a man in Hillyard.

Lewis reportedly admitted killing 38-year-old Douglas A. Penfield, whose body was discovered covered with a coat in the basement of the home where he lived at 5923 N. Regal St.

Spokane police major crimes detectives Terry Ferguson and John Miller arrested Lewis on Thursday in connection with Penfield’s killing after Lewis provided details that linked him to the crime, according to court records.

Lewis “went to Penfield’s house for the specific purpose of burglarizing and/or robbing him,” Detective Terry Ferguson wrote in court documents. “He was armed and did in fact kill the victim.”

The owner of the home, Bobbie Jo Nelson, told police that Penfield moved into the basement sometime last summer. She left the home on Dec. 9 and discovered Penfield’s body covered with a coat the next day.

Police responded and found numerous shell casings and three bullets in the house. Two bullets were lodged in a couch and in a wall behind the couch.

Officers also discovered that a safe and a black pouch had been taken from the victim’s residence, Ferguson wrote.

Penfield’s 2004 Toyota Camry was also missing but was located two blocks away from the murder scene. Its dashboard had been pulled away, according to the court records.

Near where the stolen car was abandoned, investigators located a witness who said she saw a man fitting Lewis’ description exiting the stolen Camry and then placing a duffle bag into a green Ford Explorer.

The witness described the man as white and wearing a face mask and red coat and having what looked and sounded like a police scanner in his hand.

“Associates of (Penfield) confirmed his involvement in the distribution of controlled substances,” Ferguson wrote. “They also identified Brady J. Lewis as a person involved in the drug trade who drove a green Ford Explorer.”

Police records documented a Nov. 28 traffic stop of Lewis showing that he was driving a green 1994 Ford Explorer and that he fit the description provided by the witness, Ferguson wrote.

Based on that information, a bulletin was sent out to local law enforcement to be on the lookout for Lewis.

On Wednesday, detectives contacted Lewis’ mother, Kathy Lewis. She confirmed that her son drives a green Ford Explorer and provided Ferguson with her son’s cell phone number. On Thursday, they contacted Lewis, and he agreed to meet Ferguson and Miller at the Public Safety Building.

Lewis also consented to a search of the Explorer, Ferguson wrote.

“I looked in and saw a police scanner lying between the driver and passenger seats,” Ferguson wrote. “I shut the door. I told the defendant his car was involved in the homicide incident.”

Lewis agreed to waive his rights and agreed to provide a taped statement, she wrote.

“He provided a statement which contained information pertaining to the crime scene that only someone present would know,” Ferguson wrote.

After the tape was shut off, Lewis continued to talk.

He provided “more admissions including the defendant being the shooter, the caliber of the rounds fired, the placement of rounds, position of the body, placement of (the) coat over the head and items taken from the house,” Ferguson wrote.

Lewis told the investigators where he had discarded the .380-caliber pistol and Penfield’s safe, she said in court documents.

“Defendant Lewis said he got $6,000 from the pouch and 26 ounces of ‘crank’ from the safe,” Ferguson wrote. “Based on the physical evidence, specifically the injuries to the deceased and casings plus the witness observations and the defendant’s confession, (there is) probable cause to charge Brady Lewis with first-degree murder.”

Lewis has numerous prior convictions, including seven felonies, Spokane police Officer Teresa Fuller said. Those convictions include first-degree robbery, residential burglary, violation of a protection order and second-degree convictions for burglary, possession of stolen property and unlawful possession of a firearm.

District Court Commissioner Brad Chinn set the bond Friday at $500,000 based on Lewis’ “significant history” of missing court dates and “a significant community safety issue.”

Lewis appeared on video during his first appearance. Just before he returned to jail, he waved to the family members assembled in the gallery.

“I love you Brady,” his crying mother, Kathy Lewis said. She declined to provide further comment.