He killed a man during a Kennewick robbery. Now he could face 17 years in prison

A 40-year-old man is facing up to 17 years in prison after a man he shot during a Kennewick robbery died.

Anthony T. Spearman pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter Friday afternoon, nearly two years after wounding Leonard Slack Jr., 65, inside an apartment.

Slack died two days later when doctors at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center found that his injuries were much worse than was initially believed.

At the time in August 2021, Spearman had been out of prison for about two years after being sentenced to seven years in a Walla Walla County drug possession case.

According to online court records, he has a lengthy criminal history that started when he was 14. Most of it for illegal drug possession.

Spearman now faces 13 years and three months to about 17 1/2 years in prison.

Prosecutors plan to ask for the maximum. Sentencing is set for May 25.

Spearman has been in the Benton County jail since he was arrested at the Thunderbird Motel in Pasco on Aug. 12, 2021. He surrendered to a group of officers that included by U.S. Marshals, the Tri-City Regional SWAT, Kennewick and Pasco police.

Hood Avenue shooting

Police were called to Slack’s Hood Avenue apartment when a neighbor said Slack had come to his door asking for help.

The neighbor said he heard the sound of glass or furniture breaking inside of Slack’s apartment, so he didn’t open his door, but called 911, court documents said.

As the commotion continued next door, the neighbor cracked his door open just wide enough to see into the hall. He spotted a tall, skinny man wearing all black and a baseball cap running down the stairs.

The neighbor heard Slack yelling for help.

He found Slack wounded and called 911 again.

Officers found Slack “hunched over on the living room floor,” court documents said. “The couch was flipped over and a living room table appeared as though it had been thrown or broken and was lying on its side in the living room.”

A bronze revolver was found underneath him on the floor, documents said.

Slack was bleeding from gunshot wounds to his forearm and stomach. He said Spearman had shot him, court documents said.

He was taken to Trios Southridge Hospital in Kennewick where he named Spearman again as his attacker. He claimed Spearman was trying to rob him, but couldn’t answer more questions before being taken to into surgery.

This story was originally published April 3, 2023 at 12:42 PM.