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Spokane: Police say slaying was drug-related

October 21st, 2008, incident report by jbtaylor

  • October 8, 2008
  • 1
  • 0
  • Grant Street and Pacific Avenue
  • Spokane
  • Washington

Meghann M Cuniff. Spokesman Review. Spokane, Wash.: Oct 14, 2008. pg. B.3

(Copyright (c) 2008 The Spokesman-Review)

A homicide victim met his alleged shooter at a Taco Time drive-through in Coeur d'Alene, according to court papers filed Monday.

The call history on Anthony E. Dennis' cell phone led detectives to three suspects after the 43-year-old was found shot to death in his 1999 Ford Expedition near Grant Street and Pacific Avenue in Spokane about 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Henry J. Holloway, 25, Jalil K. Handy, 20, and Samuel Thomas IV, 21, appeared Monday in Spokane County Superior Court, charged with first-degree murder. Holloway's and Handy's bails were set at $1 million. Thomas, Handy's cousin from San Francisco, has a $2 million bail.

Court papers filed Monday point to Holloway, whose charge includes an aggravated circumstance and robbery stipulation, as the chief suspect in the killing.

Handy told police Holloway said that Dennis had once sold him "bunk" crack and that Holloway needed money because he'd just had a baby.

Holloway, of Coeur d'Alene, told detectives hours after Dennis' killing that he'd met him while working the drive-through at the Taco Time; Dennis was a customer.

Holloway said he'd bought marijuana and crack from Dennis on several occasions, but he denied seeing Dennis the night he was killed.

The detectives contacted Handy through a phone number in Holloway's cell phone under "Real Deal," according to the documents. Handy, of Post Falls, told police he drove Holloway to Dick's Drive-in in Spokane with Thomas last Tuesday so Holloway could purchase crack from Dennis, according to court papers.

Handy said he watched Holloway load a handgun before exiting Handy's Chevy Impala to meet Dennis and thought Holloway had about $2,500 on him.

Thomas said Holloway returned to the car bloody and out of breath and bragged about the killing on the drive back to Idaho, saying repeatedly that he'd shot Dennis in the face three times, according to court papers.

Medical records show Dennis had been shot in the head twice and upper chest once, according to police.

Thomas told police Holloway said he'd stolen all of Dennis' cash, too: four $1 bills, according to court papers. Thomas said Holloway might have burned the stolen money when he torched his bloody clothes the next day.