Steven Joseph Zacherle, Murder and Threats, Washington 2023

A Spokane man is behind bars after a brutal assault on the Colville Indian Reservation left a victim braindead and eventually deceased.

Steven Joseph Zacherle, 38, was sentenced to 204 months in prison for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country and Threats in Interstate Commerce.

The incident occurred on October 18, 2022 near a gas station on the Colville Indian Reservation in Spokane, Washington.

According to court documents, Zacherle was in a domestic dispute with his intimate partner, Victim 1, when the victim drove away without him. Enraged, Zacherle began calling and texting Victim 1, demanding she return or face his wrath. He even threatened to 'kill' and 'hurt people.'

As Zacherle was making these threats, he walked past an elder, Dion Boyd, who had just exited the gas station. The two walked in the same direction for a short distance before Zacherle turned and attacked Boyd, striking him in the head.

Boyd was left unresponsive, bleeding from his head, and was later declared braindead. He eventually passed away 20 days later due to the severe brain hematoma and cracked skull inflicted by Zacherle.

Zacherle's actions sparked outrage in the community, with Acting U.S. Attorney Richard R. Barker stating, 'My heart goes out to the Boyd family, who have suffered so much pain as a result of Mr. Zacherle's unprovoked attack.'

The case is part of the Department of Justice's Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.

Zacherle's sentence includes 5 years of supervised release and restitution payable to the Colville Confederated Tribes for the victim's funeral expenses.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of violence on Indigenous communities and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwa/pr/washington-man-sentenced-seventeen-years-prison-murder-colville-reservation