Police Department

Decades old cold cases solved through Spokane Police Department and Spokane County Sheriff's Office collaboration

Monique Cotton, Police Communication Director, 509.363.8285

Thursday, October 31, 2013 at 2 p.m.

Detectives from the Spokane Police Department (SPD) and the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) have forwarded charges to the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office related to three unsolved homicides from 1990. 61-year-old Douglas (Donna) Perry (who is currently in prison for Federal Firearms charges) has been charged with 3 counts of 1st Degree Murder in connection to the homicides of Yolanda Sapp, Nikkie Lowe and Kathlene Brisbois.

On February 22, 1990, 26-year-old Yolanda Sapp’s body was discovered in the area of 4100 E. Upriver Drive. On March 25, 1990, 34-year-old Nikkie Lowe’s body was discovered near 3200 East South Riverton underneath the Green Street bridge. On May 15, 1990, 34-year-old Kathlene Brisbois’ body was located on the west side of the Spokane River near Trent and Pines in the Spokane Valley. All three women were shot with a small caliber handgun. SPD and SCSO detectives collected evidence and investigated the cases, however did not have enough evidence at the time to arrest a suspect. The case remained open in the hopes that new information and evidence would be collected.

Last year, Douglas (Donna) Perry was arrested in Spokane on an unrelated firearms charge. Upon arrest, Perry’s DNA was collected (per state law) and put into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database. Perry’s DNA matched DNA evidence submitted from Kathy Brisbois’ homicide. Spokane County Sheriff’s Detective Dresback and Spokane Police Detective Burbridge, worked together using the DNA evidence and Perry as a person of interest to tie the three homicides together.

Today, Spokane Police and Spokane County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Detectives submitted paperwork forwarding charges for Perry for 3 counts of 1st Degree Murder. Perry is currently incarcerated in Texas.

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