Sheriff’s office investigating suspicious death at Spokane Valley Rodeway Inn & Suites

The Spokane County Sheriff’s office is investigating the Nov. 7 suspicious death of a man at the Spokane Valley Rodeway Inn & Suites.

Eric Andersen, 54, was found dead in his hotel room after a hotel manager called 911 around 1:45 p.m. to report Andersen for trespassing. The manager then called a second time to report Andersen was not breathing, according to court documents.

The door to Andersen’s hotel room was damaged and deputies said Monday they believe someone or a group of people broke into his room earlier in the day.

Andersen showed no obvious signs of trauma or injury and the Spokane County Medical Examiner listed his cause of death as “pending toxicology.”

Andersen was removed from the building by deputies the day prior when it was reported he had cut himself on the arm and was high on heroin, according to court documents. Hotel management reported him as suicidal, but Andersen told deputies he’d been attacked.

A woman who used heroin with Andersen told deputies he was acting erratically and threw her belongings into the hallway after he took insulin to treat his diabetes, according to court documents.

Deputies involuntarily committed Anderson for a mental health evaluation for his own safety at the hospital where he was being treated for the cut on his arm, according to court documents.

A resident of the hotel told investigators that Andersen returned to the hotel between 6 and 6:30 the next morning, despite a warning a from deputies not to return.

The resident overheard Andersen say, “They took my phone. They got everything. Why is this happening?” according to court documents.

Investigators believe a group of people may have entered Andersen’s room while he was in the hospital and stolen “valuables,” according to a Sheriff’s Department statement.

One woman and four men seen on surveillance footage may have information regarding Andersen’s death, according to investigators.

A hotel housekeeper went into Andersen’s room around noon to clean and found him unresponsive on the ground, but believed he was sleeping, and reported his presence to hotel management, according to court documents.

Deputies responding to the hotel manager’s 911 call found the door frame to Andersen’s room was damaged as if someone had forced the door open, according to court documents.

Anyone with information regarding Anderson or the group of people who entered his room can call (509) 477-3325 using reference No. 10158357.