Inchelium Man Gets 57 Months for Brutal Domestic Assault

SPOKANE, WA – Rodney Alan Signor, 49, of Inchelium, Washington, will spend the next 57 months behind bars for a brutal attack on his intimate partner. The sentence, handed down by United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice, follows Signor’s guilty plea to Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner in Indian Country. He’ll also face three years of supervised release after his prison term.

The details of the June 9, 2022, assault are harrowing. Court documents reveal Signor didn’t just strike the victim, causing bruising; he escalated to strangulation, rendering her unconscious. The violence didn’t stop there. Signor also gagged her, brandished a knife, and chillingly threatened to end her life. This wasn’t a momentary loss of control – it was a sustained and terrifying attack.

“This case raised serious concerns for the victim’s safety, and I’m incredibly proud of the FBI’s swift and decisive response once the crime came to light,” stated Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker. “Our office remains firmly committed to protecting victims and holding domestic abusers accountable through aggressive prosecution.” The speed of the investigation and prosecution sends a clear signal that such violence will not be tolerated.

W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office, echoed that sentiment. “Mr. Signor treated his former partner reprehensibly, endangering her safety in multiple violent attacks. We hope this sentence sends a clear message to Mr. Signor and others like him that violent crime will not be tolerated. The FBI is committed to continuing our work to reduce violent crime in tribal communities alongside our tribal partners,” Herrington said. This case highlights the particular vulnerability of victims within tribal lands.

The statistics surrounding domestic violence in Native American communities are stark and unacceptable. Native American women experience domestic violence at rates far exceeding the national average. Nonfatal strangulation, a particularly insidious form of abuse, is alarmingly common – nearly half of domestic violence victims report being choked. While often leaving few visible marks, strangulation can inflict devastating physical, neurological, and psychological damage, and is a significant predictor of future homicide. A woman who survives nonfatal strangulation is over seven times more likely to be murdered by her abuser.

This investigation was a collaborative effort between the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen and Assistant United States Attorney Nowles H. Heinrich. Case number 2:23-cr-00145-TOR. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on efforts to combat domestic violence in Washington State and beyond.