Man pleads not guilty to shooting, killing plumber outside Spanaway home

Plumber shot and killed on service call in Spanaway

A homeowner is accused of shooting and killing the plumber, saying he did so because the plumber hit his fence with his service vehicle.

SPANAWAY, Wash. - A 55-year-old man, who investigators say is suspected of shooting and killing a plumber outside his home and asking his neighbors to hold onto his guns, was arrested by Pierce County deputies on Monday night.

At about 8 p.m., deputies responded to reports of a shooting at a home in the 1000 block of Military Road East in Spanaway. The caller then reported seeing a body in a truck in front of a home where they heard shots were fired.

When deputies arrived at the home, they saw the homeowner in the driver side of a pickup truck. As deputies approached the suspect, he went into his home then came back out and surrendered.

Deputies located the 40-year-old victim, who had apparent gunshot wounds, in the truck and rendered first aid until medics arrived. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to investigators, the suspect called for a plumber and when the plumber arrived, the suspect accused him of hitting his gate. There was a dispute and the victim was shot while sitting in the driver’s seat.

The Pierce County Sheriff’s Department said the suspect took his guns to a neighbor’s home after the shooting and asked them to hold it.

Deputies recovered six guns from the neighbor’s home.

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The suspect was arrested and booked into the Pierce County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and tampering with evidence.

Detectives are investigating this case as a homicide.

He has pleaded not guilty. Bail has been set at $1.5 million.