In brief: Women given plea deal to testify against alleged killer
A 20-year-old woman originally charged in the brutal murder of a Spokane man faces 6 1/2 to 8 1/2 years in prison, if she follows a plea agreement approved Thursday.
Breeanna C. Sims is to testify at the trial of accused killer Taylor J. Wolf, which is scheduled to begin Aug. 20.
Sims pleaded guilty Thursday to first-degree kidnapping with a firearm. Her plea agreement is sealed and hinges on her future testimony.
Spokane County Superior Court Judge Sam Cozza approved the plea deal negotiated by Deputy Prosecutor Mark Cipolla and Deputy Public Defender Tom Tragaser.
Sims’ brother, Justice E.D. Sims, was sentenced in March to about 33 years in prison for first-degree murder and kidnapping.
The three are accused of the brutal torture slaying of Nicholas J. Thoreson in a garage at the Knotty Pines apartment complex, 13615 E. Trent Ave. Thoreson was found dead in the trunk of his burning Thunderbird on Forker Road April 13, 2011. All three suspects were charged with aggravated first-degree murder.
Student pleads guilty to vehicular homicide
A college student has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in a 2010 crash that killed a Lewis and Clark High School graduate and Eastern Washington University student.
Taylor D. Marean is to be sentenced Sept. 20 by Superior Court Judge Jerome Leveque. He pleaded guilty Thursday morning for the Feb. 14, 2010, crash that killed Jacoby N. Bryant, 19.
Marean faces 31 to 41 months in prison under Washington’s standard sentencing range guideline, said Deputy Prosecutor Mary Ann Brady. The sentence is for someone with no criminal history who is convicted under the drunken driving provision of the vehicular homicide statute.
Another driver, Brooke A. Reese, and Marean were racing when they crashed on southbound Hatch Road near 54th Avenue.
Reese was sentenced to about a year in jail for disregarding the safety of others.
Bryant was a passenger in Reese’s 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. Marean was driving a 2005 BMW.
Final suspect in holdup spree arrested in Northern California
A suspect in a series of armed robberies in Spokane was arrested in California on Wednesday – his 26th birthday.
Avery Lee Loring was booked into the Fresno County Jail.
He is believed to be one of four men who robbed the McDonald’s at 4647 S. Regal St. on May 25 while six juvenile customers were inside.
Suspects Michael D. Brown, 23; Dwayne J. “DJ” Tolbert, 21; and Brettly Sanderson, 16, have been arrested. They are among several suspects jailed for a series of loosely connected holdups.
Loring and Tolbert also are accused of robbing the Zip Trip at 2020 W. Francis Ave. at gunpoint on May 31.
Suspects identified in stabbing that nearly took woman’s leg
Two suspects have been identified in a brutal stabbing on Monday that left a woman with a huge cut on her scalp and a right upper leg sliced nearly to the bone.
Marquis D. Jackson, 28, and Kelsey K. Peone, 23, are charged with first-degree assault, first-degree burglary and attempted first-degree robbery for the knife attack at a home in the 4000 block of East Pacific Avenue.
Victim Danielle Bains told police she heard a knock on her front door and opened it only to be punched in the face by Jackson, according to court documents.
Bains said Peone repeatedly asked “where’s the money?” while attacking her with a large, fillet-style knife.
Peone was arrested Wednesday and appeared in Spokane County Superior Court Thursday. Jackson was not in custody, and a third suspect has yet to be identified.
Peone previously served time in prison for delivery of a controlled substance.
Masked robber gets cash from Chase Bank in Spokane
A masked man robbed a bank in northwest Spokane on Thursday.
Police responded at 1:51 p.m. to a report of a heist at Chase Bank, 9101 N. Indian Trail Road.
The man left with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Anyone with information is asked to call (509) 456-2233.