Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office

10/14/2026

Spokane man who beat, strangled, and stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death sentenced to an exceptional sentence of 50 years in prison

On October 13, 2026, in Spokane County Superior Court, Jean Paul Kirkpatrick (48) was sentenced to 600 months in prison after a jury found him guilty of 1st Degree Murder last week. Additionally, by their special verdicts, the jury found Kirkpatrick was armed with a deadly weapon during the commission of the crime and that he and the victim, Fatimah Alghazwi, were intimate partners. Lastly, the jury found an aggravating circumstance known as “rapid recidivism” because Kirkpatrick committed this offense within a short period - 28 days - after his release from jail on other domestic violence offenses.

The case stems from an incident in February 2023 at an apartment in North Spokane. Court documents and trial testimony show police were called to the apartment on February 8th by a social worker who reported Kirkpatrick was trying to force his way into Alghazwi’s unit. Police arrived and spoke with Alghazwi, encouraging her to obtain a protection order after learning of Kirkpatrick’s escalating behavior. The next day, the social worker planned to accompany Alghazwi to secure a protection order. When Alghazwi failed to arrive for their appointment, the social worker became concerned and went to her apartment. Kirkpatrick opened the door and said Alghazwi was unavailable.

Later that evening, an employee at the daycare attended by Alghazwi’s children called 911 when Alghazwi did not pick up her children. Police arrived at Alghazwi’s apartment and found her face down in a pool of blood. Medics determined Alghazwi was deceased. She had been beaten, choked, and stabbed 19 times in the neck and shoulder. Surveillance video showed Kirkpatrick coming and going from her apartment approximately 4 times that day, eventually forcing his way in. Kirkpatrick left the apartment after the victim was dead, and returned a short time later, taking her wallet. Police later located and arrested Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick initially represented himself in the trial until Judge Marla Polin revoked his pro se status following his multiple outbursts and failure to abide by the court’s rulings. He eventually took the stand in his own defense and admitted to stabbing Alghazwi 18 times, saying he acted in self-defense and admitting he was not too drunk to form the intent to kill her, which his lawyers presented as a defense.

At the sentencing hearing, the victim’s surviving family and friends spoke passionately about the loss of this mother to two young children. The father of one child relayed that his child continually asks when her mother is coming back and must now navigate the world without her. The State requested the court impose an exceptional sentence above the standard sentencing range of 411-548 months in prison. Prosecutors argued that the facts of the case showed Kirkpatrick intended to kill the victim and ensured his success by first beating and strangling her, then stabbing her repeatedly as she lay unconscious on the floor. The State asked the judge to impose the high-end of 548 months, plus 24 months for the weapons enhancement, and another 28 months for the rapid recidivism aggravating circumstance, for a total of 600 months, or 50 years. The defense asked for the low-end of the sentencing range, noting, in part, Kirkpatrick’s traumatic childhood.

Judge Polin said she empathizes with Kirkpatrick’s difficult upbringing, but it did not justify a low-end sentence. She considered Kirkpatrick’s actions before, during, and after Algahzwi’s murder, including the three different ways he attacked her, which medical experts testified all contributed to her death. Judge Polin repeated Kirkpatrick’s words to detectives upon his arrest, that he “loved her to death,” saying she believes he did, indeed. The judge followed the State’s recommendation and imposed a sentence of 600 months in prison. She also imposed 36 months of community custody should Kirkpatrick be released from incarceration.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Hannah Stearns and Kaitlyn Berish handled the case and trial which lasted 6 weeks. We thank them, our Victim/Witness Advocates and support staff, and the City of Spokane Police Department, particularly lead Detective Chan Erdman, for their diligent work in bringing a measure of justice to the victim.

10/12/2026

Man sentenced to 9 months Electronic Home Monitoring for recording and watching numerous surveillance videos of his estranged wife, over a period of months, in her home and in violation of a protection order.

On October 8, 2026, in Spokane County Superior Court, Bart J. Adams (46) was sentenced to 9 months of Electronic Home Monitoring (EHM) after a jury found him guilty of Felony Stalking, Domestic Violence (DV) last month.

The case stems from incidents occurring over several months in 2024. Court documents and trial testimony detail how Adams and his wife lived together in Spokane until late 2023. She reported domestic violence and moved from the home to a location undisclosed to Adams and immediately obtained security cameras for her new residence. She was also granted a protection order. In January 2025, Adams sat down for an interview with law enforcement on an unrelated matter during which he disclosed the surveillance. The cameras were somehow linked to Adams’ Roku TV giving him access to substantial footage of his wife and her children. After law enforcement executed a search warrant on Adams’ phone, hours of surveillance footage of the victim, her home, and the children were discovered.

Adams contended he did not know he was committing a crime by having access to the videos and that he primarily viewed them to check on the couple’s children. However, Adams was prohibited by a protection order from keeping his wife under electronic surveillance. Adams testified at trial that he had reviewed that protection order and its terms.

At the sentencing hearing, the victim said she feared for her safety when she lived with Adams, and the fear continued even after she fled. Learning Adams was monitoring her through video surveillance compounded that fear and the victim relayed she is still dealing with the trauma of being stalked. The State argued for the mid-range of the sentencing guidelines (9 months). In this case, Adams’ prior criminal history did not increase his offender score due to the length of time since his last offense. Thus, Adams’s sentencing range, with no scorable criminal history, was 6 to 12 months in jail. The State noted Adams’s continued and prolonged viewing of his wife in the privacy of her home and his disregard for court orders. Defense asked that Adams be sentenced to the low-end of the sentencing range and that he serves his time under EHM, arguing that Adams viewing of his wife was not to harass or cause harm to her. Judge Breean Beggs sentenced Adams to the mid-range of the guidelines and ruled he can serve his time on EHM, saying he sees little risk of Adams continuing to stalk the victim through surveillance as it has been several years since the incidents and Adams has not reoffended during that time. Judge Beggs also noted that it is a serious violation of someone’s peace of mind to be watched and he urged Adams to follow the law.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Austin Brown handled the case. We thank him, our Victim/Witness Advocates, and the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, particularly Detective Rebecca Lederle, for their work on this case.

10/09/2026

15-year-old with extensive criminal history involving fi****ms sentenced to more than 4 years minimum of detention after being found guilty of more charges involving a gun

On October 8th, 2026, in Spokane County Juvenile Court, a 15-year-old male was sentenced to 221 weeks minimum in a juvenile detention facility after a judge found him guilty of 2nd Degree Assault, 1st Degree Burglary with a Deadly Weapon, and 2nd Degree Unlawful Possession of a Fi***rm (UPF) in August.

Court documents and trial testimony show the juvenile was involved in July 2026 incident at an apartment in Northwest Spokane. The couple who lived there heard a knock on the door and when they answered, four males wearing bandanas entered the residence and started yelling. The woman recognized one male as her niece’s boyfriend. One male swung at the woman while the others attacked the man. The woman repeatedly told the intruders to leave and attempted to defend herself and her partner. The 15-year-old produced a gun and shot towards the couple. The intruders fled in a car. Neighbors heard the gunshot, and one called police. Police subsequently identified all four suspects (three adults and the juvenile) and arrested them.

At the sentencing hearing, the State highlighted the juvenile’s nine felony and three misdemeanor convictions, including four for Unlawful Possession of a Fi***rm and two for 3rd Degree Assault with a weapon. The State noted in one prior crime, the juvenile shot his friend, paralyzing him, and in another, the juvenile used a knife to obtain a sweatshirt from someone. The juvenile’s prior history began when he was 12 years old. The State argued for a standard sentence range of 103-129 weeks for the assault and burglary convictions, and 15-36 weeks for the UPF conviction. The defense requested a downward departure, arguing a lengthy period of detention was unnecessary to rehabilitate the juvenile.

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Jacquelyn High-Edward noted the juvenile’s felony history and the significant injury he caused to the prior juvenile he shot, saying the court’s attempts to rehabilitate the juvenile to this point have been unsuccessful. The judge said the juvenile is a danger to the community and noted that, by luck, no one was injured in the teen’s latest use of a fi***rm. She imposed the standard sentence on each count, to be served consecutively. In juvenile cases, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) determines whether a respondent serves the low end or the high end of the standard range, or somewhere in between, depending in part, on the juvenile’s behavior while in detention. In this case, the juvenile will serve a minimum of 4 years and 2 months in a juvenile rehabilitation facility but could serve up to 5 years and 7 months. In addition, the juvenile must register as a Felony Fi***rm Offender. The adult suspects are in various stages of the court process.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys Gabrielle S. Marquez and Jacquelyn R. Nader handled the case for the State. We thank them, our Victim/Witness Advocates, and the City of Spokane Police Department, particularly Detective Zachary Johnson, for their diligent work.

10/02/2026

Man sentenced to 5 and a half years to life in prison for molesting his girlfriend’s young daughter

On October 1, 2026, in Spokane County Superior Court, Joshua E. Hogan (34) was sentenced to 68 months to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of Child Molestation in the 1st Degree in July of this year. The jury also found that Hogan used his position of trust in the commission of the crime.

Court documents and trial testimony show the molestation occurred in May 2023 at a home in Airway Heights where Hogan lived with his girlfriend and her two daughters. Late one night, Hogan went into the girls’ room and touched one daughter inappropriately while she pretended to sleep. The victim reported the incident to her school counselor the next day. A police investigation resulted in Hogan’s arrest for child molestation.

At the sentencing hearing, the victim, who was 10 years old at the time of the molestation, expressed that Hogan hurt her in a way no child should ever experience. The victim’s father told the court that what Hogan did to his daughter will affect her for years to come. The State requested the high-end of the sentencing range of 51-68 months to life in prison, noting the jury found that Hogan abused his position of trust to commit the crime. Defense argued for an exceptional low sentence citing, in part, Hogan’s lack of criminal history. Judge Jacquelyn High-Edward noted that while she understood Hogan’s own childhood trauma, she still had to consider the harm he caused the victim and sentenced him to 68 months to life in prison. Additionally, Hogan will serve lifetime community custody, must register as a s*x offender, and was ordered to have no contact with the victim for life.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Scott Donahue handled the case. We thank him, our Victim/Witness Advocates, and the Airway Heights Police Department, particularly Detective Steve Steadman, for their diligent work.

09/25/2026

On this National Day of Remembrance for Homicide Victims we stand with victims’ families in honoring their lost loved ones. Thank you to each victim family member and friend who attended today’s program hosted by the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office and to law enforcement members, judicial representatives, victim advocates and attorneys in attendance. A heartfelt thank you to the victims’ families for sharing stories and memories of your loved one, and for allowing us to help keep their memory alive. Today is a day of reflection, healing, and awareness of the impact that violent crime has on families and our community. Pictures include Leslie Paine, whose husband Joshua was killed in 2024, at podium and also pictured with her daughter and mother. The board has 983 pins placed to represent the 983 homicides in Spokane County since 1951.

09/24/2026

It's this Friday - the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims. Please join us in honoring the memory of those killed and standing with victims' families.

09/18/2026

Spokane man who r***d his wife and recorded it sentenced to 11-plus years to life in prison

On September 17, 2026, in Spokane County Superior Court, Russell S. Anders (57) was sentenced to 136 months to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of 2nd Degree R**e and 1st Degree Voyeurism in July. The jury also returned special verdicts on both counts, finding the defendant and the victim were intimate partners.

The charges stem from an incident in August of 2022 when Anders and his then-wife were visiting family and staying in an Airstream trailer in Medical Lake. Trial testimony revealed Anders drugged his wife and repeatedly s*xually assaulted her while she was incapacitated. Anders videotaped the r**es, producing a total of 9 videos. Several weeks later, the victim noticed something in her w**e during dinner, which turned out to be a small pill. The pill appeared to match Anders’ prescription sleeping pills. That incident prompted the victim to access Anders’ computer, where she discovered the videos of Anders ra**ng her. She made a report to the Seattle Police Department and Anders was subsequently arrested.

Because Anders has no prior felony convictions, his standard sentencing ranges as set by Washington State law are 102-136 months to life for the 2nd Degree R**e conviction and 4 to 12 months for the 1st Degree Voyeurism conviction. At the sentencing hearing, the State requested the court impose the high-end of the standard range, 136 months to life for the r**e and 12 months for the voyeurism, to be served concurrently. Defense asked the court to impose the low end of the standard range. The victim told the court Anders’ crimes and his lack of remorse have broken their family beyond repair. Troubled by Anders’ abuse of trust, Judge Annette Plese followed the State’s recommendation, imposing 136 months to life in prison. Judge Plese further ordered Anders to serve lifetime community custody, have no contact with the victim for life, and to register as a s*x offender for life.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Anastasiya Krotoff handled the case for the State. We thank her, our Victim/Witness Advocates, the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, particularly Detective Veronica Van Patten, and the Seattle Police Department for their strong work on this case.

09/17/2026

Spokane County Prosecutor Preston McCollam on a violent crime reduction initiative. "Operation Stampede is a great example of what these partnerships can accomplish. No fanfare, no politics, and no nonsense—just law enforcement, prosecutors, and community partners working together to put dangerous offenders behind bars."

09/11/2026

The Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney's Office shares the sentiment of the Cheney Police Department that so poignantly captures the magnitude of this day.

25 years ago today, our nation changed forever.

Today, we first remember the nearly 3,000 people who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. They were parents, spouses, sons and daughters, friends, coworkers, and loved ones who simply started their day that morning never knowing it would be their last.

We remember the families who said goodbye without knowing it was goodbye. We remember those who survived and the countless lives that were forever changed in a matter of hours.

For those of us who serve in public safety, September 11 also carries a deeply personal meaning. We honor the firefighters, law enforcement officers, EMS personnel, dispatchers, and countless others who answered the call that morning. They ran toward danger when others were desperately trying to escape, demonstrating a level of courage and selflessness that continues to inspire those who wear the uniform today.

We also remember those who responded in the days, weeks, and months that followed, including those who later lost their lives from illnesses connected to their service at Ground Zero.

Twenty-five years later, we still remember their names, their stories, their courage, and the people they left behind. From all of us at the Cheney Police Department, we remember. We will never forget. 🇺🇸

09/08/2026

Please join us for a meaningful gathering to honor murder victims and their families.