Siblings arrested in fatal shooting
Three now held in death of man found in burning car
Sheriff’s detectives Friday night arrested two more suspects in connection with the homicide of a Cheney man, who was found shot to death in the trunk of a burning car Wednesday.
Breeanna C. Sims was arrested by detectives after they followed her to the scene of the crime at Forker and Bigelow Gulch roads. She was apparently looking for evidence related to the killing of 22-year-old Nicholas James Thoreson, of Cheney, according to sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.
After arresting Sims, a K-9 led detectives to two weapons in the area, a pistol and a sawed-off shotgun. Detectives believe the pistol is the murder weapon, Reagan said.
Sims’ brother, Justice E. Sims, 28, was arrested not long after as he left his North Spokane apartment, Reagan said. The apartment was put under surveillance after detectives identified the Sims siblings as suspects.
Both were booked into the Spokane County Jail on first-degree murder and second-degree arson charges.
Breeanna Sims, then 18, and her mother, Alisson D. Taylor, along with Robert L. Hensley, were arrested last May for beating and robbing a Spokane man.
Breeanna Sims was sentenced in August to 12 months in jail, with 12 months probation, after pleading guilty to second-degree robbery, unlawful imprisonment and first-degree theft.
It does not appear that Justice Sims has a criminal record, Reagan said.
Police said interviews with Thoreson’s friends led them to the first suspect, Taylor J. Wolf, 20. He was arrested late Wednesday evening as he was leaving his Trent Avenue apartment with the Simses. He was booked into Spokane County Jail on second-degree murder charges. The Simses were questioned at the scene and released, only to be arrested two days later.
Detectives say Thoreson died of a gunshot wound to the head before his body was burned in the trunk of his 1987 Ford Thunderbird at Forker and Bigelow Gulch roads early Wednesday.
Wolf’s charge will likely be upgraded to first-degree murder, Reagan said, as detectives believe they now have sufficient evidence to prove premeditation.
“(Detectives) knew they could prove second-degree, but that’s going to be upgraded (to first-degree murder) come Monday,” he said.
The slaying remained under investigation, but detectives said Friday there are no other suspects at large. They have not released the motive and are still determining the connection between the three suspects and the victim.
“First and foremost, the priority is to get the killers off the street,” Reagan said. “Now we can do more in-depth investigation into motives and associations and things like that.”
Wolf has been known to associate with the Hell’s Angels Motorcycle Club, but Reagan said he does not believe the Simses have any connection to the club. Wolf, who has been ordered several times to take anger management classes, has a lengthy criminal record that includes felony residential burglary, assault, domestic violence, intimidating a witness and resisting arrest, according to court records.
Wolf’s arraignment is set for April 26.