Haskell: No comment on Richard Aguirre leak accusations

Spokane County Prosecutor Larry Haskell is standing by statements made by one of his deputies accusing law enforcement in Central Washington of leaking information to a murder suspect. Meanwhile, Richard Aguirre’s attorney is asking a District Court judge to throw out the $500,000 bond instituted following the claims made in court. Haskell said today his office will not be releasing the details that prompted the accusation Aguirre was receiving leaked information from his longtime coworkers at the Pasco Police Department and members of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. “The facts will stand on their own merit at the completion of the investigation,” Haskell said in a statement. “In the meantime, my office will focus our time and attention on the prosecutions against Mr. Aguirre for the murder of Ruby Doss and the current voyeurism charge.” Franklin County Sheriff Jim Raymond and the Pasco Police Department issued stern rebukes following a statement made in open court by Deputy Prosecutor Kyle Treece last week that there was “reason to believe” members of both departments leaked information to Aguirre, who is in Spokane County Jail on suspicions of murdering Ruby Doss in Spokane in 1986 and videotaped sex with unsuspecting partners. Both departments said they contacted the Spokane Police Department following the statement and were assured their officers had been cleared of wrongdoing. On Tuesday, Aguirre’s attorney Scott Johnson asked for a new bail hearing following the statements from Pasco and Franklin County. “I have received no information from the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office or any other officials clarifying what Spokane County Deputy Prosector Treece said in court,” Johnson wrote in his filing. In an email Wednesday, Johnson said he was “frustrated” by the allegations and lack of public information supporting them. Haskell said the decision not to release information received by his office that Aguirre was receiving privileged information was prompted by a desire not to taint the investigation. “In order to protect the integrity of these ongoing investigations, the details that served as the basis for the no contact request will not be publicly available until completion of the investigation of the murder and voyeurism charges against Mr. Aguirre,” Haskell said in his statement. Aguirre was tied to Doss’ killing through DNA evidence, according to court documents. He was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base when Doss was found strangled in East Central Spokane. He had recently retired from the Pasco Police Department after 27 years in the midst of unrelated sexual assault allegations in the Tri-Cities area.