Man found shot dead in Richland motel. 2 people questioned

A man and a woman were questioned in connection with a Richland shooting investigation after a man was found dead at a motel Friday.

Pasco and Richland police detained the two in the parking lot of Wine Country Furniture on Court Street. Their connection to the death was not immediately clear.

No one was booked into the Benton County jail on murder charges and officials have not said if they are being held on other allegations.

The white sedan they were in was towed as part of the investigation.

Richland officers were called to the Days Inn on Jadwin Avenue about 10:15 a.m. Friday after someone spotted a car racing out of the parking lot, said Richland Capt. Chris Lee.

When officers arrived, they discovered a man had been shot and died inside a room. They are trying to determine if it is a homicide.

Police were trying to find the man’s family before releasing his name.

An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday morning, said Benton County Coroner Bill Leach.

A car suspected of being the one seen leaving the Richland motel was found at the Crosspointe Apartments, 7803 W. Deschutes Ave., off Columbia Center Boulevard in Kennewick.

A Kennewick police officer had spotted it parked at the apartments.

A police dog tracked the scent of the driver from the car to one of the apartments, then Tri-City Regional SWAT team members were called in to help surround the complex.

By 1:30 p.m., officers left the complex after discovering no one was inside the apartment unit.

The car found at the apartments was stolen Thursday from the Circle K gas station at the corner of Deschutes Avenue and Columbia Center Boulevard.

At the same time Tri-City officers were searching that area, Pasco police were helping Richland officers stop and detain the man and woman in the Pasco parking lot.

No other details have been released about their connection to the case.