Suspected serial burglar gets 9 years
One of two brothers suspected in a series of Spokane County burglaries has been sentenced to nine years in prison.
Donald G. Myhren, 30, pleaded guilty to residential burglary for a break-in last year and was sentenced this week to 108 months. He still faces additional robbery and burglary charges for break-ins at home this spring, along with his brother, Dustin J. Myhren, 26.
The men were out of jail awaiting trial for last year's case when detectives arrested them for the new burglaries in April. Investigators reviewing burglary reports noticed that the description of suspects in a series of Spokane County burglaries matched the brothers, and that a suspect vehicle was registered at their address.
They've both been jailed on $250,000 bond ever since and are scheduled to begin trial July 16 for the latest burglaries, some of which included the theft of sports cards.
Donald Myhren resolved last year's case Monday in Spokane County Superior Court; Dustin's still is pending.
Jodie Sinclair, whose home was burglarized by the brothers last year said she walked into her home to find one of the brothers running through her living room. The home was ransacked. Her husband chased after the man and his brother "and they in turned pulled a gun to get him to back off," Sinclair said in an email.
The brothers are accused of again confronting a homeowner at a gunpoint just months ago.
Sinclair said she was disappointed in the sentence and said she hopes the pending robbery and burglary charges will put Myhren away for much longer.
"The material items he took that day can be replaced for the most part," she said. "But what he stole from us is our sense of security and ability to feel comfortable in our own home."