Two men arrested in Spokane Valley shooting that was reported hours after homicide

Western Washington law enforcement recently arrested two men connected to the shooting death of 40-year-old Deshaun Crawford almost one year ago in Spokane Valley.

Puyallup police arrested 38-year-old Darell Harris Saturday on a warrant for suspected second-degree murder, according to the Pierce County Corrections Booking website. Harris also faces charges of possession of a stolen firearm, driving while intoxicated and false statement to a public servant in Puyallup, the website said.

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes detectives transported Harris back to Spokane County, where he was booked into the jail Wednesday on a $1 million bond.

Detectives also charged 46-year-old Dwayne Parks with first-degree rendering criminal assistance for aiding Harris after Crawford was killed, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

Detectives traveled early last month to the Pierce County Jail to take custody of Parks. He was booked into the Spokane County Jail, where he remained Wednesday on a $10,000 bond.

The charges stem from the night of Feb. 8, when deputies responded to a manufactured home at 4306 E. Second Ave. for a reported shooting, according to court documents.

There, they found Crawford dead in the living room with a pellet gun under his body and a can of bear mace under his legs, the sheriff’s office said in documents.

They also located .45 caliber fired cartridge casings in the living room. Detectives determined a .45 caliber firearm was used to kill Crawford.

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office said it located six gunshot entrance wounds on Crawford’s body. It said Crawford died from the wounds and it ruled the death a homicide, documents say.

Court documents indicate the shooting happened four or five hours before police were called to the scene.

Witnesses told police they observed Harris with a gun and heard several gunshots ring out inside the home late that afternoon. Harris, Parks and Parks’ girlfriend then left the residence in Parks’ blue Ford Expedition.

Parks told deputies he was living at the property and that he, Harris and several others were at the residence that afternoon. At one point, Parks opened the door for Crawford, who had a handgun. He heard several gunshots as he ran through the house before leaving the residence, court records show.

Parks said he, his girlfriend and Harris went to a Spokane apartment on Indiana Avenue near Hamilton Street. He then returned to the Second Avenue home and found Crawford laying on the living room floor dead.

Around 4 or 5 p.m. that day, one woman at the residence told deputies she heard Parks yell, “gun,” and then heard three or four gunshots.

She saw Parks run from the living room to the back of the home and continued to hear shooting from the living room. She said she left the residence at about 5:20 p.m. and went to McDonald’s.

She left the restaurant at about 5:35 p.m. and returned to the home, where she found Crawford lying in the living room dead.

A woman who lives at the Indiana Avenue apartment told deputies she received a phone call from Parks that afternoon about getting clothes. She said Harris, Parks and his girlfriend came to her residence after 5 p.m.

Parks told her Crawford was dead and that Parks wanted to purchase clothes for Harris, the woman said. She sold Harris clothing, and the two defendants and the girlfriend left the apartment together.

Several witnesses told the sheriff’s office Crawford showed up drunk that morning to the Spokane Valley home. They said Crawford spilled beer on the carpet and was asked to leave.

A few of those witnesses said Crawford then pulled a knife and threatened Parks, according to documents. Crawford was restrained and escorted from the property, witnesses said.

A Spokane County judge issued a warrant for Harris’ arrest, according to court documents filed Dec. 22.

The sheriff’s office release said Harris’ whereabouts were unknown at the time.

Detectives also requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service because of the serious nature of the crime and the nature of the nationwide extraditable warrant.

The sheriff’s office continues to investigate.