Slaying may have been over $7.25

Spokane police arrested two suspects in the early Sunday killing of a 50-year-old east Spokane man.

A family member identified the victim as Timothy Eby, of 2614 E. Third Ave., who had worked in construction.

Police said Eby may have been killed for less than $10.

At about 2 a.m. police received a report of a stabbing at an east Spokane address, police said. Upon arriving at the house, they found Eby dead inside, according to a news release.

Three hours later, detectives arrested Terry Conner, 52, and Aaron Lyon, 28, at the Bel Air Motel, 1303 E. Sprague, on charges of first-degree murder. Police said $7.25 was stolen in the incident and that one of the suspects knew Eby.

Eby’s nephew, Randy Eby, said his uncle was a divorced father of three and also had stepchildren. “He was a good man and had a heart of gold,” he said. “It was a poor time in his life.”

Eby was the son of Leora Eby, of Nine Mile Falls, and Elmer Eby, of Colbert. He has two brothers living in Spokane, James and Randy Eby. He was preceded in death by another brother, Walter, and a sister, Darla, according to Spokesman-Review records. The family moved to Spokane from Davenport, Wash., when Eby was a teenager.

Police said the investigation is continuing, and the cause of Eby’s death will be determined by the medical examiner.