Man found dead in home

James Bittick flashes a broad smile from beneath a U.S. Open ball cap in a pen-and-ink drawing on a stockroom wall at Yoke’s Fresh Market.

It’s a self-portrait. The amateur cartoonist, who drew numerous caricatures of his co-workers at the North Foothills Drive supermarket, thought perhaps of opening a business selling his drawings following his retirement, one co-worker said.

He won’t get that chance.

Bittick was found dead Saturday night in his north Spokane home. His 23-year-old grandson is being held in the Spokane County Jail on a first-degree murder charge.

Ryan M. Snow was taken into custody without incident at the cream-colored, two-story house at 2711 N. Atlantic St. He was at the house when police arrived around 11:45 p.m., summoned by Spokane Fire Department paramedics, according to a Police Department news release.

Officers found the 65-year-old Bittick dead of “homicidal violence,” the news release said. It was unclear Sunday how Bittick had been killed; the exact cause of death won’t be known until an autopsy is performed, said Spokane police Cpl. Tom Lee.

No mention was made of any weapons found at the scene, and no other injuries were reported. Police said there are no outstanding suspects. It was unclear who had called the paramedics to the house.

Spokane County sheriff’s Sgt. Tyler, who declined to give his first name, turned down a request to interview Snow at the jail, saying the suspect’s behavior made it unsafe for jail staff to transport him to an interview room. Tyler declined to elaborate.

Police said Snow previously had lived with his grandparents on Atlantic but had lived at another north Spokane address for the past three months.

Neighbor Darlene Hayes said she remembers seeing Snow in the past dressed up to go to church on Sundays.

“Really, really nice people,” said Hayes, who lives across the street. “Nothing unusual going on.”

Hayes said she doesn’t know the family well but knew that Bittick worked at Yoke’s, a few blocks away.

Julie Ramsey, who works as a bookkeeper at Yoke’s, said Bittick was hard-working and friendly to everyone. His true passion was his artwork, she said as she displayed the wall filled with caricatures drawn by Bittick.

“He loved golf,” Ramsey said. “He was a great guy. He’s going to be sorely missed.”

Bittick’s family in Spokane and in California declined to comment.

Detectives worked overnight investigating the slaying, police said. They were aided by forensic technicians from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.