Man pleads guilty to manslaughter

A suspect who once faced first-degree murder charges in connection with the 1998 killing of a man known as “Little Slayer” was allowed Wednesday to instead plead guilty to second-degree manslaughter.

Lewis Gray III, 36, received a sentence of just less than five years in prison by Superior Court Judge Ellen Clark.

Deputy Prosecutor Mark Cipolla agreed to let Gray plead to the lesser charge. Earlier this month, Cipolla dismissed all charges against co-defendant Maggie Fletcher-Lewis, who had previously been charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Gray was arrested in Los Angeles last June. He was charged with the Jan. 14, 1998, killing of 19-year-old Curtis Ricky Jones, a drug-dealing gang member from Tacoma who used the street name “Little Slayer,” according to court records.

Witnesses said Gray shot at Jones 14 times as he ran from his apartment at 2527 E. Pacific Ave. Jones tried to hide between two cars, but Gray chased him down and shot Jones once in the back, according to court records.

Details sought on dead man

The cause of death and identity of a body found in Long Lake last weekend remain unknown, officials said Wednesday.

The man was found floating in the Stevens County lake about 5 p.m. on Saturday.

The Stevens County Sheriff’s Office is requesting the public’s help in identifying the man, said Sheriff Craig Thayer. He’s white, 30 to 50 years old, 6 feet 3 inches and 250 pounds. He has a scar above his left eye and has had significant dental work.

Anyone with information is asked to call (509) 684-2555 or (800) 572-0947.

Suspect has history of theft

A woman arrested Wednesday on suspicion of stealing a sport utility vehicle had been released from jail less than a week earlier, after serving time for car theft.

Renee Lynn Shore, 21, was arrested a little more than 40 minutes after the vehicle she was found driving had been reported stolen from a home in northwest Spokane, said Spokane police spokesman Cpl. Tom Lee.

The Chevy Suburban was reported stolen at 6:37 a.m., Lee said. The vehicle’s owner told police he had left the SUV unattended for just two minutes when he noticed it was gone. At 7:18 a.m., Officer Dave Kennedy pulled Shore over at Third Avenue and Altamont Street.

Shore was booked in Spokane County Jail on charges of first-degree possession of stolen property, Lee said. He added that the SUV’s owner will not be cited for leaving an unattended vehicle running.

Two arrested after drug raid

A month to the day after Spokane County sheriff’s detective raided six mobile homes at Rose Haven Mobile Home Park, drug investigators returned Wednesday to search yet another one.

Cedric Jaquet and Jamie Lynn Walsh, who live in trailer No. 95, were arrested, spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan said. Walsh’s 8-year-old son was taken into protective custody.

Jaquet was charged with three counts of delivery of heroin, possession of heroin, possession of cocaine and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, Reagan said. Walsh was charged with conspiracy to commit all the drug felonies Jaquet is charged with. Both were charged with child endangerment.

Detectives found 13 packets of heroin ready for sale, as well as small quantities of crack cocaine and marijuana Wednesday when they raided the mobile home at 205 S. Park, Reagan said. They also found drug scales, packaging materials and hundreds of new and used syringes.