Police arrest third man from fatal bar fight

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake police arrested the previously unidentified man who was involved in a bar fight shortly before the homicide of Robert Cook, 68, of Moses Lake. A witness reported seeing the suspect point a gun in the direction of the man who allegedly shot and killed Cook.

Loren Jon Jay Meade, 29, of Moses Lake, was arrested on Monday after he was involved in a traffic collision on Division Street in Moses Lake, according to MLPD Capt. Dave Sands. When he was arrested he reportedly had 138 grams of methamphetamine and was booked in the Grant County Jail for a felony Department of Corrections warrant and possession of methamphetamine. More charges are expected.

Meade’s role in the shooting is under investigation, Sands stated.

Just after midnight on June 5 Meade reportedly got into a fight at Neppel’s Dockside Pub with Jose Rodriguez, 25, of Moses Lake. Another man, Ismael Ortiz Jr., 25, of Moses Lake, got involved in the fray and threw a couple of punches at Meade, which led to all three men getting tossed from the bar.

After the fight and during the time the three men were being thrown out of the bar, Cook and his female friend decided to leave Neppel's and got into Cook’s pickup truck, which was parked to the west of the bar’s entrance. Cook’s friend reported hearing five loud “pops” come from behind the truck, which she thought were fireworks. She turned around to see who was lighting them off. She reported seeing a white or cream-colored four-door passenger vehicle pull up alongside Cook’s truck and pass them, with Meade allegedly riding in the passenger seat.

She said she saw Meade pull out a “large black handgun” and point it in the direction of the Ash Street/West Broadway Avenue intersection. At that time Cook was allegedly struck in the back of the head by a bullet, with witnesses stating they say a large-framed Hispanic man, alleged to be Ortiz, fire numerous shots while standing at the Ash Street/Broadway Avenue intersection. Officers reportedly found 10 .45 caliber shell casings at the Ash Street/West Broadway Avenue intersection.

“Detectives had located one 9mm shell casing in an alley near the intersection of Broadway and Ash,” Sands said.

Ortiz and Rodriguez were arrested after trying to run away. Ortiz was allegedly seen by a witness to go into the lake before being arrested. The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office dive team searched the lake on Tuesday for the gun used to shoot Cook, but did not find the weapon.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.