Police identify man suspected of killing Spokane mother

SPOKANE, Wash. — Nearly a week after a Spokane mother was murdered, police have identified the man believed to be responsible.

Joshua Phillips, 41, who worked as a registered nurse at Eastern State Hospital, is facing charges of second-degree murder in the death of 35-year-old Kassie Dewey and second-degree attempted murder of Dewey’s young daughter. He was booked into jail Saturday afternoon.

Dewey’s body and the young girl were found in their garage on Sunday night. The Spokane County Medical Examiner said Dewey was stabbed to death and suffered injuries to her torso, head and upper extremities.

In a search warrant filed in Spokane Superior Court, police wrote that Dewey’s other two children were not at home at the time of the attack and had been staying with their father in Spokane Valley.

They got worried because their mom did not show up to pick them up, so their father drove them to Dewey’s house and left. The children found the doors locked, but were able to climb in through a window. Police said the children noticed the house was in “disarray,” which they thought was unusual. They tried to get into the unattached garage and could hear a car running, but they could not get in and called 911.

The children told police their mother had been living with Phillips since June 2020. The children said the two constantly fought and that their mom had kicked him out two days before.

When police arrived, they found Phillips lying on the floor in the garage. He did not have any visible injuries, but police said he was acting confused, which could be related to exhaust fumes.

Phillips is being held on a $1.5 million bond.

Spokane Police said the young girl remains at a local hospital in critical condition.

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