Court documents reveal new details in case of man charged with murder of another man found in burned RV
A 61-year-old man is accused of shooting and killing a man found dead inside a burned RV earlier this month near the Garland District, according to court documents.
Michael W. Adaszewski, who allegedly claimed he was robbed and shot a man in self-defense, was arrested March 10 on suspicion of second-degree murder.
KREM-TV reported Adaszewski was released without bond the next day after prosecutors cited new information in the case.
Dustin Burrows, 41, died from multiple gunshot wounds March 6 near the corner of West Rockwell Avenue and Jefferson Street, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office. Spokane police spokesperson Julie Humphreys said it’s likely the fire was set to cover up the homicide.
Court documents said the RV was “associated with” 4204 N. Jefferson St., which is the home on the northeast corner of the intersection. A man answered the door at that address Wednesday but declined to comment.
A renter at the home told a detective that Adaszewski, who is also on the lease of the home, moved out and into the RV parked south of the home on Rockwell, documents said. The witness said his relationship with the defendant was “somewhat strained” lately.
On the afternoon of March 4, Adaszewski entered the house while the witness and his friend were sleeping, documents said. The witness said the defendant was “hysterical” and the friend said Adaszewski was “white as a ghost.”
The witness said Adaszewski woke them up and yelled about being robbed and how he shot “one of ’em,” and the others ran away. Adaszewski had a cellphone in one hand and a black semi-automatic pistol in the other, documents say.
The friend said Adaszewski said something to the effect of “they were gonna kill me” and “I killed him.” The friend said Adaszewski claimed the person he shot was laying dead in the RV.
Another resident said around 11 a.m. March 4, she saw a “heavy-set” white man with a goatee wearing a red jumpsuit, which matches a general description of Burrows, documents said. She said she did not recognize the man.
Burrows’ girlfriend said she denied knowledge of Burrows having a firearm or any first-hand details of a possible robbery , documents say. Another witness said Burrows’ girlfriend told him Burrows and another person attempted a robbery, and they received information about a RV and the occupant having drugs.
The witness said Burrows’ girlfriend told him she believed the robbery had gone bad and Burrows was possibly being held against his will inside the RV, documents said. The witness and the girlfriend told a detective they went looking separately for Burrows prior to March 6 at the RV but did not locate him. The witness said he saw people coming and going from the RV and the house March 5, according to documents.
Burrows’ mother said she received information that a robbery involving Burrows had gone wrong and he had a firearm .
Adaszewski told a detective he did not have knowledge of the incident and said he was out of town.
A Spokane police detective who responded to the scene of the fire said he removed a semi-automatic pistol from the clothing on Burrows’ body. Cartridge casings and bullets were also located near Burrows.
Police are asking anyone with information on the incident who hasn’t spoken with investigators to call Crime Check (509) 456-2233 with reference No. 2022-20037466.