Police Department

Man Convicted of a Second Murder

Ofc. Jacquelyn Valencia, PIO

Tuesday, January 31, 2023 at 5 p.m.

Update 3/1/23:

This morning, 3/1/23, in Spokane Superior Court, convicted murderer, Nathan O. Beal (38) was sentenced to 421 months (35 years, 1 month) in prison for killing Andrew M. Bull.  In February 2022, Beal was sentenced to more than 31 years, for the unrelated, pre-meditated, murder of his ex-wife, Mary Shaffer.  The sentences for Beal’s two 1^st degree murder convictions will be served consecutively.  

Original Release 1/30/23:

Man convicted of a second murder; had previously been convicted of killing ex-wife

On January 30, 2023, in Spokane Superior Court, Nathan O. Beal (38) was convicted of pre-meditated 1^st degree murder in the death of Andrew M. Bull (30).  The homicide happened nearly three years ago. 

On April 3, 2020, just after midnight, officers responded to an alley in the 900 block of W. 2^nd Ave for a deceased male.  The man, who was identified as Bull, sustained a single gunshot wound. Detectives with SPD’s Major Crimes Unit (MCU) responded to the scene. 

Detectives initially had few leads, despite diligent efforts including scouring the downtown area for video surveillance.   On August 8^th, 2020, in a separate incident, Mary Shaffer was found deceased in her car from a gunshot wound.  MCU responded and arrested her ex-husband, Beal.  The evidence collected in Shaffer’s case was linked to Bull’s homicide.  Beal was already in custody for the murder of Shaffer when probable cause was established to arrest Beal for the murder of Bull. 

Beal will be sentenced at a later date. 

Investigations undertaken by the MCU unit are often complex and lengthy.  Detectives never stop striving to hold violent offenders accountable, bringing some sense of closure to family and community.

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