SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — The Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office says evidence supported a man was acting in self-defense in a fatal shooting in Spokane Valley last year.
In October 2024, 53-year-old William McCreight was shot and killed in the parking lot of a Safeway in Spokane Valley during a drug deal.
Bryman was arrested and initially charged with murder, but according to the prosecutor’s office, McCreight’s cell phone showed text messages saying he planned to rob Bryman during the deal.
The prosecutor’s office say multiple weapons were located on McCreight and other evidence discovered by detectives pointed to Bryman acting in self-defense.
The murder charge was dropped and Bryman was sentenced to three months for unlawful possession of a firearm.
The prosecutor’s office released a statement saying in part:
This office takes all crimes of violence seriously, especially allegations of murder. Of equal consideration are any relevant defenses to any such allegations. The principles of self-defense are a cornerstone of our law and cannot be ignored when analyzing the facts of a case. Accordingly we must be sensitive to any new facts or evidence that may come to light after an initial charging decision was made. If new facts come to light that are favorable to an accused, we have an affirmative duty to provide that evidence to defense and adjust course if necessary. We take that duty very seriously as demonstrated here.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
