$1M bail set for Richland murder, kidnap suspect. 2nd man on the run, say police
A 39-year-old man was shot in the chest Saturday after struggling with a gun-toting suspect who was trying to force him inside an SUV.
Joshua R. Gibson had arrived at Richland’s Riverfront Hotel a short time earlier in his own vehicle.
He talked with another man in one of the hotel rooms before video surveillance captured the exchange in the parking lot.
By the time police arrived about 10:20 a.m. for a report of gunshots, Gibson was unable to speak and having difficulty breathing. He died in the parking lot.
On Monday, one suspect appeared in Benton County Superior Court while police continued their search for a second man — the possible shooter.
Michael G. Cook, 43, is jailed on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree kidnapping. Bail is set at $1 million.
Court documents show Gibson was shot next to a black Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Cook.
The Kennewick man was arrested about 45 minutes after the alleged murder during an unrelated traffic stop in West Richland.
A felony warrant was issued Monday for Jonathan M. Rodriguez, 27, for his alleged involvement.
Documents claim he was seen carrying a gun at his side while walking behind Gibson outside the hotel, and later got into a fight with the victim before two shots were heard on security video.
Gibson was a Tri-Cities resident who moved around a lot, last living in Kennewick, according to Benton County Coroner Bill Leach
An autopsy is scheduled Tuesday in Snohomish County.
The Riverfront Hotel at 50 Comstock Street used to be the Shilo Inn.
Video footage
According to court documents, the hotel has a video surveillance system that is motion activated and records in 30-second increments.
Footage from Saturday morning showed Gibson parking a silver vehicle in the lot, getting out and knocking on one of the hotel doors. A man staying inside the room confirmed that Gibson visited him.
The Chevrolet SUV then pulled into the lot with Cook behind the wheel and Rodriguez in the front passenger seat, according to witnesses and security footage.
Rodriguez was seen approaching the same room, documents said.
The video picks up again to show Gibson and Rodriguez walking down a ramp outside the hotel to the parked SUV. Rodriguez had a gun by his right side and was wearing a full face mask, court documents said.
Witnesses reported seeing Rodriguez motion with the gun for Gibson to get inside the Chevrolet and the two men struggle in the parking lot on the SUV’s passenger side.
Another video clip then shows Gibson standing near an open SUV door as two shots were fired. The video captured Gibson falling back onto the ground, documents said.
The Chevrolet reportedly left the hotel parking lot in a rush.
West Richland stop
About 17 minutes after the first call came in for shots fired at the hotel, a West Richland officer stopped the black SUV on West Van Giesen Street for a traffic violation.
The driver, Cook, was the only person in the Chevrolet in the 10:33 a.m. stop, court documents said. He was released once the stop was done.
But when Richland police relayed over the scanner a short time later that they were looking for a black Tahoe with black wheels and stickers in the window in connection with their death investigation, West Richland police knew it was the same SUV, documents said.
The Chevrolet was found at Keene Road and Duportail Street at 11 a.m. and, after a second traffic stop, Cook was arrested. No one else was in the SUV.
Cook was taken to the Richland Police Department, where he immediately asked for an attorney and refused to speak with detectives.
Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call non-emergency dispatch at 509-628-0333 or email rpdinvestigations@ci.richland.wa.us.
This story was originally published September 28, 2020 at 1:53 PM.