Police: Woman helped son accused of killing 13-year-old in Spokane flee state

The mother of the man accused of shooting and killing 13-year-old Gavin Looper earlier this year in northeast Spokane has been arrested for helping her son flee to Montana where he was arrested, according to the Spokane Police Department.

Becky A. Gibbs, 49, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of first-degree rendering criminal assistance, according to police.

Her son, Glen D. Burkey, 25, was arrested in Missoula four days after the Jan. 25 shooting that took the life of Looper, who was shot in the head while playing video games in a bedroom of a home on Heroy Avenue near Regal Elementary School, according to court documents. Police believe Burkey fired into the home, intending to shoot a man inside, but instead killed Looper.

Police allege Gibbs borrowed a car used to transport Burkey from Spokane to Montana, and bought a “burner” phone to communicate with Burkey’s new roommate, according to documents.

The roommate, who was renting the Missoula apartment where Burkey was arrested, told the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office he picked up Burkey in St. Regis at about 9 p.m. on Jan. 27. He then drove Burkey to his apartment. The man denied knowing Burkey was involved in a crime and believed he was going to be his new roommate.

Spokane police identified a white 1999 Lincoln Continental as a possible vehicle that took Burkey to St. Regis, according to documents. The owner of the vehicle told police he loaned the car to his friend, Gibbs, around the time of late January.

The phone that Gibbs was seen purchasing on North Spokane Walmart surveillance the night of Jan. 26 came into contact with cell towers as it traveled east on I-90 to the area of St. Regis, and then back to Spokane on westbound I-90 the night of Jan. 27 – the same night the roommate picked up Burkey in St. Regis, police wrote in documents.

The phone was active from Jan. 27 to Jan. 30 and made contact with Gibbs’ phone, a phone Burkey bought Jan. 26 at the Spokane Valley Walmart, another phone Burkey bought Jan. 28 at a Missoula Walmart and Robison’s phone, documents show.

Gibbs and Burkey were held on $100,000 and $2 million bonds, respectively, Friday night in the Spokane County Jail.

Gibbs is set for a first appearance Monday in Spokane County Superior Court. Burkey is awaiting trial on several charges, including first-degree murder.