Columbia Basin Herald Online Newspaper

Local News - Moses Lake, WA - Grant County

Deputies investigate Coulee City homicide

Posted: Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008 - 03:24:14 pm PDT
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By Candice Boutilier
Herald staff writer 

Man's death ruled suspicious

COULEE CITY - The death of a Coulee City man is being investigated as a homicide.

Jeff Smith, 49, was found dead in his bed at his West Locust Street residence in Coulee City, Oct. 12, Grant County Undersheriff John Turley said.

Deputies were contacted the night of Oct. 10 concerning a reported assault Smith and at least four other people were involved in, he said. The reporting party advised Smith was allegedly assaulted in and around his home.

The reporting party who contacted law enforcement then advised the fight was over and Smith was home safe, sleeping on his couch. Law enforcement did not make contact at the residence.

The reporting party is not a suspect in the assault, Turley said.

On Oct. 11, the day after the assault, a friend went to Smith's residence to check on him. There was no answer.

On Oct. 12, a friend reportedly attempted to make contact with Smith but again, there was no answer, Turley said. The friend forcefully entered the home and found Smith dead in his bed.

The Grant County Coroner's Office responded to the incident and contacted the Grant County Sheriff's Office because the death appeared suspicious, he said. A detective attended the autopsy and advised the death should be investigated as homicide.

Coroner Jerry Jasman said it appears Smith died from a brain hemorrhage caused by blunt force trauma to the head.

Jasman is working to determine Smith's time of death. So far it appears he was alive during the early evening hours of Oct. 11.

Details about what happened between the time Smith went to sleep on his couch and was discovered in his bed are unknown, Turley said. Smith lived alone. There was no sign of struggle in the home and it did not appear to be burglarized.

The sheriff's office is conducting interviews and collecting evidence.


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concerned wrote on Nov 7, 2008 2:41 PM:

" The GCSD NEVER did check on Jeff. The authorities were called and they NEVER did anything to check his well being or even see if he wanted to press chargers against his attackers. Now in the Spokesman it says he said he declied to press charges, but the athorities were never sent to his residence until he was found dead. I think there needs to be a suit brought against Macc Dispatch and the GCSD they were totally at fault and could have saved his life. As for out local officer, he is never around and we need someone to come into that position that is not just using the city to pay for academy training and then jump ship! I hope justice is served to these four young men, they have be causing havoc in our town for years, let's clean up this place!!! "

vanfisherman wrote on Oct 23, 2008 11:04 PM:

" The people of Coulee City have a cop. Unfortunately he lives in Moses Lake and trying to get him to come here when there is a possible emergency is a joke! The people of this town pay his gas and let him take the sqaudcar home to Moses. Just because this person was known to be a bit of a drinker doesnt make him any less a human being. It is time we find a new cop for our town who doesnt mind protecting the people more than setting for hours trying to catch speeders. There was a house fire recently and he was no where to be seen. After all of this if our Mayor and City Council dont fire Nate and hire a new cop, maybe we need a new Mayor and council come next election. And as for the 4 people who did the beating that cost this man his life, they belong in prison for the rest of their lives. "

clueless wrote on Oct 21, 2008 5:33 PM:

" Holy cow! How does law enforcement NOT check on a possible assault victim? To take the word of a reporting party is like believing there is a tooth fairy. Someone in the GCSD should be held responsible for failing to even do a welfare check on a possible assault victim. It may have saved this persons life. "