‘You took our family member from us’: 20-year-old faces murder charge after repeatedly stabbing 25-year-old man near Riverfront Park

A 20-year-old man is suspected of murder after he attacked his boyfriend with a flurry of fists before stabbing in the torso a 25-year-old man who intervened several times Thursday night on the edge of Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane, according to court documents.

Officers detained Colin L. Pedro, who fled with the knife to the nearby Post Street Bridge and threatened suicide, after nearly four hours of negotiating, according to the Spokane Police Department.

Pedro appeared Friday in Spokane County District Court to face a charge of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Anthony Espinoza and second-degree assault in the beating of 25-year-old Robert Neuman, who was hospitalized but expected to recover, police said.

Espinoza’s father, Louie Espinoza, and little sister Zoe Gluckman told the court from a video conferencing platform that Pedro should be held in jail without bond. A judge maintained Pedro’s bond at $1 million.

Gluckman said Pedro, who sat next to his attorney in jail clothing, needs help.

“If Colin can hear, I hope and pray you get the help that you need,” she said.

Gluckman said her brother had a 5-year-old son who now will never know his father, and she will never have her brother again. She said knowing Pedro is a young man is “heartbreaking” for his family as well.

“You took our family member from us,” Gluckman said.

Spokane police officers were called about 6:30 p.m. to the violence happening outside City Hall on Spokane Falls Boulevard and Post Street.

After police say Pedro assaulted Neuman, a City Hall camera showed Espinoza approach Pedro from behind, but stopped about 20 feet away from him, according to court documents. Pedro turned toward Espinoza, and they both move d toward each other and started to “circle” one another, according to the footage.

Espinoza was holding a small rock in each hand. Pedro then charged Espinoza and stabbed him once in the upper body. Espinoza fell to his back and dropped both rocks, according to the footage. He put his hands up in front of himself as Pedro stabbed at Espinoza’s upper body 10 times while Espinoza remained on the ground.

When interviewed by police, Pedro said he and Neuman got into an argument and Neuman punched him in the eye. He said he responded by punching Neuman once and knocking him to the ground. A detective did not notice any bruising or swelling to Pedro’s eye, according to documents. Pedro said Neuman ran away, and he walked away upset.

Pedro told police a man he didn’t know then approached him and said he “wanted him to put his knife away and fight him like a man.” Pedro described the man, later identified as Espinoza, as a “wannabe thug.”

Pedro said he didn’t think Espinoza had a knife.

“I was just sick of him following me as I was trying to escape,” Pedro told police.

Pedro admitted to stabbing the victim “as deep as I can,” according to documents.

Neuman told police he met Pedro a couple months ago at a Spokane homeless shelter and they began dating shortly after, according to court documents. The pair had been living in a tent in various parts of the city. Neuman said Pedro has anger issues and seems to be schizophrenic.

On Thursday morning, Neuman and Pedro were at one of their camping spots when Pedro accused him of stealing his ID and electronic benefits card, Neuman told police. Neuman denied the accusation. Pedro then pulled out a large fixed-blade knife, which was purchased a few days earlier, and held the tip to Neuman’s throat, demanding the phone they shared so he could call to report his electronic benefits card stolen, according to Neuman.

He gave the phone to Pedro, and he reported his electronic benefits card as stolen.

Later, they were walking on Post Street next to City Hall when Pedro started another argument with him about his ID and electronic benefits card, Neuman told police. They made it to the Post Street bridge when Neuman asked for his bags the defendant had been carrying for him, so he could separate from Pedro since things were escalating again.

Pedro punched Neuman on the side of the head multiple times, causing him to fall to the ground and possibly hit his head on the bridge, Neuman said. He said a passerby in a car stopped to check on them, which stopped Pedro from further assaulting him.

Neuman got up and ran away from Pedro on Post Street toward River Park Square as Pedro chased him, documents say. Neuman said he was trying to call 911 on their phone when Pedro took the phone, snapped it and threw it off to the side.

Neuman said Pedro started to punch him again, causing him to once again fall. Neuman said he remembers waking up in a “daze” at the corner of Spokane Falls Boulevard and Post Street with a group of people around him. He warned the strangers Pedro had a big knife.

One of the people from the group gave him water, and as he was still dazed and in pain, the person helping him said the defendant stabbed someone several times.

Neuman was taken to the hospital. A detective said in documents Neuman’s right kneecap was dislocated and he had visible injuries to his head. Neuman also complained of neck pain.

Espinoza died at the hospital at 7:30 p.m., according to police in documents.

Several people witnessed at least part of the violence.

One witness told police that Pedro, who wore a green hooded sweatshirt, stabbed a man in the shoulder area, according to court records. Espinoza then fell to the ground, and Pedro continued to stab him several times as Espinoza screamed for help. The defendant then walked toward the bridge.

A public safety supervisor for River Park Square who responded to the stabbing call said Pedro ran toward the bridge with the knife against his own neck. He chased the defendant before police arrived.

Another person who saw the stabbing said that as Espinoza was on the ground being stabbed, Pedro said something like, “Come at me.”

Another bystander said he heard the defendant say, “Come at me,” and Pedro and Espinoza fought, with Pedro stabbing Espinoza in the back and arms while the victim was standing. Espinoza then fell to the ground as Pedro continued to stab him.

Spokane County Deputy Prosecutor Jonathan Degen said he had “very serious community safety concerns” regarding Pedro and asked the court to maintain the $1 million bond. Degen said Pedro’s criminal history included two counts of third-degree assault and a misdemeanor domestic violence assault charge. He was on probation at the time of the killing.

Pedro’s defense attorney reserved bond arguments for another day.

Police continue to investigate and ask anyone who witnessed the incident or has video of it to call Crime Check at (509) 456-2233.