Cold case murder hearing Friday to determine ex-cop’s alibi defense

Spokane County Prosecutor Larry Haskell says the ex-Pasco police officer charged in the cold case murder of a Spokane prostitute was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base when the killing took place, not in Korea as his attorney claimed.

Richard Aguirre was charged last summer with killing Ruby Doss in 1986 after a DNA sample he gave for an unrelated case matched a sample taken from a condom found near Doss’ body.

Doss’ body was found on January 30, 1986. She had been beaten and strangled, court documents say.

Aguirre’s attorney, John Henry Browne, filed a motion to dismiss the first-degree murder charge March 11, claiming that military records show Aguirre was in Korea at the time of the murder. An attached “Airman Performance Record” shows Aguirre was scheduled to report for duty at Osan Air Base in Korea from Dec. 24, 1985 to Dec. 23, 1986.

But in a response filed last week, Haskell said those records only establish a reporting period and are not enough to prove Aguirre’s whereabouts.

A hearing on the motion is scheduled for Friday afternoon.

“That document neither described when the defendant departed Fairchild nor when he actually arrived in Korea,” Haskell wrote in the response.

Attached medical and dental records show Aguirre received dental care at Fairchild on January 16 and did not leave for Korea until mid-Feburary, Haskell wrote. Those dates are consistent with statements Aguirre made to police, Haskell wrote.

Aguirre also spoke about Ruby Doss to multiple witnesses in the case, including his sister, court documents say.

“Mr. Arguirre’s own statements clearly negate their alibi defense,” Haskell wrote.

Aguirre’s trial is tentatively set to begin June 20.