Teen who lured University High student outside to be shot by her boyfriend pleads guilty to lesser charges

A teenager accused of setting up a 15-year-old University High School student to be shot and killed last year in Spokane Valley pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy to commit first-degree assault and two counts of first-degree rendering criminal assistance.

Daisy L.S. RedThunder, 18, faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine for each felony count. She was originally charged with first-degree murder.

According to court documents, RedThunder lured Preston Grzogorek on March 29, 2021, from a Spokane Valley apartment unit at 9717 E. Sixth Ave. by arranging to buy a vape pen from him in the apartment parking lot.

Police obtained a messaging conversation between RedThunder and Grzogorek that took place minutes before the shooting, documents said. The conversation included RedThunder telling Grzogorek she was 10 minutes away.

However, a witness who was with RedThunder that night told police RedThunder did not intend to meet.

Stephen H. Yohler, RedThunder’s boyfriend, was believed to be hiding behind a garage in the parking lot, documents said.

One witness said it appeared Grzogorek noticed someone, so he turned and ran back toward the apartment he came from while Yohler chased him, according to documents.

The witness said he heard five or six shots, and then Grzogorek screamed.

An autopsy revealed the manner of death to be a homicide.

Yohler, who allegedly fled the scene, was arrested last May in Spokane Valley and denied involvement in Grzogorek’s death. Yohler, now 20, remains in the Spokane County Jail on a $1 million bond for first-degree murder.

Yohler and his other girlfriend flew to Reno, Nevada, after the shooting, documents said. That girlfriend said in the documents that Yohler told her in Reno he killed Grzogorek because Grzogorek was going to kill him.

That girlfriend returned to Spokane, and Yohler purchased an airline ticket for RedThunder to join him in Reno so she could avoid authorities, documents said.

The standard sentencing range for conspiracy to commit first-degree assault is 96 to 120 months in prison, with an additional 36 months possible, court documents filed Friday said. The conspiracy to commit first-degree assault counts each carry a sentencing range of 15 to 20 months.

RedThunder is scheduled for sentencing on July 29 in Spokane County Superior Court.