The Whitworthian

Issue date: 11/20/07 Last Updated: 11/27/07

Marijuana was found in the car of the suspect in the rape of an Eastern Washington University student near Whitworth, according to court documents filed Nov. 14.

Kevin A. Thompson, who is also an Eastern student, pleaded not guilty on two felony counts: first-degree rape and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.

A pretrial sexual assault protection order was filed Nov. 15 and expires when the case comes to a close, according to court documents.

According to the order, Thompson is restrained from having any contact with the victim directly or indirectly through third parties. Thompson may not knowingly come within two city blocks of the victim's residence, school or place of employment, according to the order.

Thompson is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm, or other dangerous weapons, according to the order.

Detectives believe Thompson entered an unlocked home on North Waikiki Road sometime after midnight Nov. 1 and sexually assaulted a 21-year-old female resident inside.

According a summary of facts filed in the case released Nov. 14, Deputy Chad Ruff said he responded to the call of burglary/sexual assault on North Waikiki Road at 1:10 a.m. Nov. 1.

Ruff said the victim and her roommate did not appear to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs. Ruff secured the residence and took statements from the women.

Police located the suspect's Adidas shoes and white baseball hat within 50-75 yards of the home, Ruff said.

According to a summary of facts filed in the case released Nov.14, Thompson told his ex-girlfriend Tiffany Renner on the night of the crime he was drunk and high on mushrooms.

According to court records, Renner told detectives Thompson called her the night of the attack asking for help saying he had gotten into a fight, had lost the keys to his car and could not find a ride home.

Renner told investigators she told her father Tom Renner about the call, who accompanied her to pick up Thompson at a home just north of the alleged attack.

Tom Renner said because of the hour, he went to pick Thompson up from an address Thompson gave Tiffany for a home in the Golden Road area near Whitworth.

Tom Renner said he noticed Thompson had fresh cuts, but Thompson said he did not want medical assistance.

Renner said she called her father and told him about the news reports she had seen about a rape on North Waikiki Road. Tom Renner contacted authorities later that day, leading to Thompson's arrest.

Renner said later that day, she received several phone calls from Thompson saying he did not do what was being shown on the news.

Detective K. Bechtold said further investigation Nov. 2 led authorities to Thompson's car, located at the house where Tiffany and Tom Renner had picked up Thompson Nov. 1.

Bechtold said Grayson Ervin, a person living at the location, provided information that he and two friends went out with Thompson to Fizzie Mulligans, a bar located in the Fairwood Shopping Center less than one mile from the victim's home.

Bechtold said Ervin noticed just before midnight on Halloween that Thompson had left the bar without telling anyone.

Ervin indicated he received a phone call from Thompson Nov. 1 in the afternoon, Bechtold said.

Court documents state Ervin thought Thompson was whispering and may have been crying. Thompson asked Ervin if he had heard about the rape and the hat and shoes left behind.

"Do you think they'll find me by my hat and shoes?" Thompson said, according to the summary of facts.

Thompson told Ervin that he had been at the hospital that morning getting stitches, Bechtold said.

Bechtold said Ervin indicated Thompson asked him to get his bloody clothes from the car and put them in a bag. Ervin reported seeing the clothes Thompson had been wearing that night and reported that the clothes appeared to have blood stains.

Bechtold said based on Ervin's information and facts from the case, Thompson's car was impounded until a search warrant could be obtained.

The bloody clothing items were found in the trunk of the car, as well as a grocery bag containing a clear plastic zip lock bag with marijuana inside, Bechtold said.

There was also a small portable electric weight scale in the grocery bag, indicating the Thompson was in possession of marijuana with the intent to sell or deliver, Bechtold said.

Bechtold said the bag weighed 30.5 grams, or just over one ounce.

Sgt. Dave Reagan said the suspect visited a local area hospital where he received stitches. While Spokane hospitals were informed of the suspect’s injuries, the hospital did not identify the suspect to police, Reagan said.

“We’ll be having some discussion with the hospitals in the near future,” Reagan said.

Thompson's criminal trial is set for Jan. 7. He remains in custody on a $150,000 bond.

 

Contact Julie Wootton at julie.wootton@whitworthian.com.

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