Murder Victim Was Hitchhiking, Police Say

Kenneth M. Kinney was looking for a ride Wednesday morning when he was killed at a north Spokane intersection.

Kinney died of a chest wound at North and Nevada about 1:45 a.m., minutes after a witness saw him hitchhiking south on Nevada.

Detectives think someone in a passing car may have attacked the man at the intersection and left him to bleed to death.

Passersby saw Kinney, 43, staggering in a circle before collapsing. He died before paramedics could arrive to help him.

Police said the cause of death was “trauma to the chest,” but refused to further describe the injury.

Detectives uncovered no leads Thursday and asked for help in solving the case.

They ask that anyone who saw Kinney getting into a vehicle or talking with someone near Nevada and North, or anyone with other information about the case, to call Secret Witness at 327-5111. There is a reward.

Kinney, who was 5 feet 10 inches tall and 130 pounds, was wearing dark trousers and a light-colored long sleeve shirt.

He recently moved to Spokane from Oregon, police said.

Kinney was arrested last week and charged with fourth-degree assault for attacking a woman in an apartment in the 7100 block of North Colton, just more than a mile from where he was killed.

Court records show he was released from jail on his own recognizance Aug. 29 but ordered to have no contact with the victim. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo