Two men with 28 felonies accused of robbing, shooting 70-year-old man

Two men with a combined 28 felony convictions were arrested for an alleged robbery and shooting last month that hospitalized a 70-year-old man, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies and Spokane police officers responded at about 8:20 a.m. Dec. 29 to the shooting near West Houston and North Wright roads on the edge of the West Hills Neighborhood, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.

Michael W. Rosslow, 37, and Jesse J. Osborne, 38, were arrested this month on suspicion of first-degree assault and first-degree robbery. Rosslow is a 10-time convicted felon, including second-degree robbery, and Osborne is an 18-time felon, including first-degree child rape.

Osborne was arrested Jan. 17 at a residence in the 1200 block of East Nora Avenue in Spokane, the release said. Rosslow was arrested Thursday after he and law enforcement engaged in a standoff at a residence in the 10700 block of East Ninth Avenue in Spokane Valley. Rosslow eventually exited the residence and surrendered after law enforcement deployed “chemical irritants” into the home.

Jay Fliger, 70, told detectives he picked up a woman the morning of Dec. 29 in his black 2018 Mercedes Benz, and she told him to drive to a secluded area so she could use the bathroom, according to court documents.

He said he got out of the car to go with the woman to the bathroom when he was confronted by a man he knew as “2-Piece,” later identified as Osborne, and another man who goes by “Meezy,” identified as Rosslow, court records show. One of the men told him something akin to, “This is no joke.”

Fliger told detectives a “scuffle” broke out and one of the two defendants pulled a gun, shooting him in the abdomen. The men then stole his Mercedes.

A woman living with Fliger told detectives she was with Fliger two days before the shooting when she confronted Osborne about having her car and not returning it. She said in documents she and Fliger contacted Osborne and Rosslow in Spokane, and Rosslow threatened Fliger with bear mace.

The woman with Fliger when he was shot told detectives Osborne and Rosslow picked her up about four hours before the shooting, and they smoked drugs.

She said she had the two defendants drop her off near the Flying J on South Geiger Boulevard, and she then called her longtime friend, Fliger, for a ride, according to documents.

She told detectives Fliger picked her up and she directed him to the Riverside State Park Military Cemetery trailhead. While at the trailhead, Osborne and Rosslow texted her saying they were in the cemetery with her and asked her to get Fliger out of the car, the woman told the sheriff’s office.

She said she got Fliger out of the car by telling him she needed to use the restroom, documents say. Osborne and Rosslow confronted her and Fliger while walking back from the restroom.

One of the defendants demanded Fliger’s keys and wallet and then tried to take the items from Fliger, she told detectives. Fliger shoved away the defendant, who then took out a pistol and fired one round into the ground and another into Fliger.

The men then stole Fliger’s Mercedes, which had her dog and purse inside, she said in documents. She said she didn’t know the defendants were going to rob Fliger.

Detectives collected two 9 mm fired cartridge casings from the shooting scene, according to documents.

Surveillance video from a hotel showed the Mercedes being dumped on South Royal Street in West Hills minutes after the shooting. The suspect driving the Mercedes was then picked up by a white SUV that matched the description of the vehicle Rosslow and Osborne were driving in that morning, detectives wrote in documents.

Rosslow made his first appearance Friday in Spokane County District Court where his bond was set at $500,000. Osborne appeared Tuesday in District Court where his bond was set at $750,000. Both remained in jail Sunday.

The sheriff’s office is investigating and additional charges and arrests are possible.