Man sentenced to 13 years in prison for fatal 2020 shooting in Spokane Valley

A man was sentenced to 13 years in prison last week for a 2020 Spokane Valley shooting that left one dead.

Brian Riley, 38, pleaded guilty to first -degree manslaughter Thursday for the killing of 33-year-old Erik Klein at a Spokane Valley home.

He also pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawful possession of a firearm. Riley had a slew of prior felony convictions that made it illegal for him to have a gun.

He was previously found guilty of attempting to elude police at a 2022 trial.

At that trial, the jury could not reach a verdict on first- or second-degree murder.

Klein’s family was upset with the verdict last year.

“He was my baby,” Beverly Klein said. “He was loved.”

Riley was also charged with rendering criminal assistance for helping Melissa Lee Ann Martin put the body of her roommate’s boyfriend in a freezer after she shot him for allegedly trying to rape her. Martin pleaded guilty to the killing in 2022 and was sentenced to more than five years in prison.

In exchange for his plea, the charge in that case against Riley was dismissed.

Klein was shot at 11313 E. Seventh Ave. in Spokane Valley in February 2020.

A homeowner said Riley came to his house asking for money and credit cards, according to court documents. The homeowner let Riley go upstairs, where Klein was.

The homeowner heard a gunshot a short time later and called upstairs to ask who had fired the gun.

Riley told the homeowner that he shot Klein, according to Spokane County Sheriff’s Office investigators. Riley then pointed the gun at his own head and threatened to kill himself, documents said.

The homeowner eventually talked Riley down before the police were called.

Riley was sentenced to 156 months in prison by Spokane County Superior Court Judge Michael Price on Thursday.