Update: 38-year-old man killed by fellow Richland motel tenant, police say

A 38-year-old man was living at the Richland motel where he was fatally stabbed this weekend.

The man has been identified by the Benton County Coroner’s Office as William L. Bepler.

The suspect, Earnace Beasley Jr., also was a tenant at the Economy Inn, according to Richland police.

Beasley, 65, is being held in the Benton County jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree burglary. He was scheduled to make his first appearance in court Monday afternoon.

Officers were called to the 515 George Washington Way motel about 9 p.m. Saturday for a report of a man being stabbed during an argument.

The victim was taken to a Tri-Cities hospital with serious injuries, police said. He died later that night.

The person who called 911 said the man was stabbed by another man who lived at the motel.

An autopsy on Bepler is planned Tuesday morning at the Snohomish County Medical Examiner’s Office, said Benton County Coroner Bill Leach.

Some coroners in Eastern Washington have been driving bodies across the state for examination because forensic pathologists are not traveling right now because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Detectives are still investigating Saturday’s deadly confrontation and have not released any new information.

This is the second motel murder in Richland in less than one month. The other happened a block away.

On April 17, police were called to the Days Inn on Jadwin Avenue after someone reported a man had been shot.

Jonah W. Glass, 23, is charged with killing Anthony M. Irvine, 24, of Burbank, while he was in bed with Glass’ ex-girlfriend.

This story was originally published May 10, 2020 at 2:26 PM.