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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Men accused of helping murder suspect burn home

Ryan D. Corkery (Washington Department of Corrections)
Two Spokane men are accused of helping a felon burn the home of a man he’s suspected of killing, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office announced today. Eric M. Andersen, 45, and Mark Andrew Hoffman, 23, were booked into Spokane County Jail on one count each of first-degree arson. Detectives believe they helped Ryan D. Corkery, 27, burn William F. Hanel’s home at 12036 S. Player Drive on Oct. 12 after Corkery beat and strangled Hanel, 56, to death. Corkery has said he killed Hanel because Hanel molested him and a relative years ago. Andersen was arrested at a north Spokane hospital where he had sought treatment for an unrelated medical condition; Hoffman was arrested at his home. Corkery was arrested Oct. 13 after detectives found him near Hanel’s Jeep Wagoneer in Spokane Valley. Two longtime friends of Hanel said he identified Corkery, who recently was released from prison for property crimes, as his boyfriend, according to a search warrant filed Tuesday. Police seized 10 guns from the home, along with evidence from the fire and two cords. Corkery told police he strangled Hanel with an electrical cord Oct. 8 or 9 before returning with two men to burn the home, according to court documents.