Police continue investigation, court proceedings to come
As the investigation into Saturday’s shooting in Moscow continues, Moscow police still have no lead on a motive for the violence that left three dead and one injured.
Amber Emery | Argonaut
Moscow police tape blocks off the Arby’s restaurant on the Moscow-Pullman Highway where Niebuhr was shot and killed Saturday afternoon.
Moscow Police Chief David Duke said officers are continuing the investigation and have received some information pertaining to the suspect, John Lee. He said the information has been helpful, but nothing has been conclusive to a clear motive.
“At this point we don’t know why yet,” Duke said. “We’re still processing evidence, conducting interviews and filing the reports we need to.”
Lee, 29, will make his second appearance in Whitman County Superior Court at 3:30 p.m. Friday in Colfax for an arraignment hearing to enter a plea on the felony eluding charge in Whitman County. A preliminary hearing will immediately follow to begin the extradition process to bring Lee back to Latah County where he faces three first-degree murder charges and one charge of attempted first-degree murder.
Lee is currently on suicide watch and is being monitored closely at the Whitman County Jail while he awaits court proceedings for the eluding charge. He is being held without bail due to the severity of the charges pending against him in Idaho.
It could be weeks before Lee is back in Moscow though, as Whitman County Prosecutor Denis Tracy intends to complete court proceedings on the eluding charge prior to Lee’s return to Moscow.
Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson said this is not unusual, as it would be difficult to conclude charges in Whitman County after Lee has been extradited.
“It is standard to pursue it all the way,” Thompson said. “It’s difficult to resolve the case after the extradition. Washington still needs to resolve their cases and get those closed before they allow him to leave the state. I’m not at all surprised. That’s what would happen if it was the reverse situation.”
Court documents provide account of Saturday
Suspected shooter John Lee
Thompson filed a warrant for Lee’s return to Latah County, which was released to the public in Whitman County court documents.
According to the documents, officers were dispatched to an apartment complex at 2:31 p.m. Saturday at 303 East Third Street in Moscow. There they found Moscow resident David Trail, 76, and Seattle resident, Michael Chin, 39, each with several gunshot wounds.
According to the documents, Chin reported he was meeting with Trail in the basement rental office of the apartment complex when Lee entered and began firing. Chin reported Lee shot Trail several times and left the office. Chin told police he quickly hid under a desk, but Lee reentered and shot him in the left leg and arm before shooting Trail several more times. Chin was able to call police and describe the shooter.
Trail was transported to Pullman Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Chin was taken to Gritman Medical Center before being transported to a hospital in Spokane where his condition has since improved. Police were able to speak with him Thursday and confirm his original account of the shooting.
While officers were responding to the call on Third Street, police received a second shooting report at Arby’s in Moscow. The suspect description of an Asian male matched the first call.
According to the court documents, witnesses said Lee entered Arby’s and asked for the manager. When manager Belinda Niebuhr came out to meet him, a witness said they had a brief discussion and Lee said, “Do you remember me?”
The witness said Lee then pulled out a pistol and began firing but the gun misfired several times, giving Niebuhr enough time to run to the drive-thru window and attempt to climb out. The gun began working and Lee shot Niebuhr several times.
When police arrived, they found Niebuhr outside the window with several gunshot wounds, according to court documents. Niebuhr was pronounced dead at Gritman Medical Center.
Witnesses at Wendy’s saw Lee leave Arby’s with a gun in his hand. They were able to snap several photos of the license plate on Lee’s black Honda Fit as he drove off, providing police with a mostly-complete license plate number and suspect description.
Lee then led police on a high-speed chase through Pullman and Whitman County, reaching speeds of almost 100 mph before he crashed north of Colfax. According to the court documents, he was treated for minor injuries at Whitman Hospital in Colfax before being taken into custody.
After obtaining a warrant for the vehicle, police found several guns in the car including two semiautomatic handguns, one revolver, one shotgun and one rifle, as well as a laptop.
Duke said the laptop is being processed at the police department in Lewiston, while the guns have been taken to Spokane for ballistics testing. He expects it will take several weeks to process information on the items.
According to court documents, police believe Lee shot and killed his adoptive mother, Terri Grzebielski, at her home on Veatch Street in Moscow before heading to the apartment complex where he killed Trail and wounded Chin. Police found Grzebielski with several gun shot wounds when they went to perform a welfare check on Lee’s family members.
The suspect and the victims
Jerry and Terri Grzebielski adopted Lee, formerly known as Kane Grzebielski. They have two other children.
Lee, 29, graduated from Moscow High School in 2004, before moving to Omaha, Nebraska, where he changed his name in 2012. Duke said they are looking into Lee’s time in Nebraska.
Duke said Lee does not have a recorded history of mental illness or treatment. He also does not have a criminal record under either name.
“There’s no history (of mental illness) or history of treatment in our records that he’s struggled with mental illness,” Duke said. “Any report of that is entirely speculative.”
As for Lee’s relationship to the victims, Duke said little more has been discovered. Lee’s relationship with Niebuhr was a connection through his parents who frequented the Arby’s restaurant where she worked, Duke said.
Trail was Lee’s landlord at the apartment complex on Third Street where Trail was killed in the basement office. He is the brother of former state representative Tom Trail.
Duke said information was brought forward that Trail approached Lee about a problem he had with the way Lee disposed of some trash, but there are no records that any eviction proceedings were underway.
Memorials for all the victims are planned in the coming days, and the investigation and court proceedings are ongoing.
Pat Rogers, vice president for Happy Day Restaurants Inc., said Arby’s would remain closed for at least a week until after all memorial ceremonies for the victims were completed. He said they are in no rush to reopen the restaurant.
Kaitlyn Krasselt can be reached at [email protected]