Moses Lake man charged with burglary, robbery

MOSES LAKE — A Moses Lake man was charged for allegedly robbing a man who owed him a debt.

Grant County prosecutors charged Cory Woodruff, 25, of Moses Lake, in Grant County Superior Court with first-degree burglary and second-degree attempted robbery.

On Sept. 30 the Moses Lake Police Department responded to the 500 block of West Crest Drive after receiving a call from a male who reportedly hung up the phone after a telling a dispatcher he was dying, according to court documents.

Police arrived at the scene and contacted the male, who said a man, alleged to be Woodruff, came over to his apartment looking for money. Woodruff allegedly forced himself into the man’s apartment by ramming the door with his shoulder when the victim cracked the door to see who was outside his apartment. Woodruff made his way inside and the victim said when he went to give Woodruff money out of his wallet, Woodruff saw there was more money in the wallet than what the victim was giving him.

Woodruff allegedly attempted to grab the wallet and a fight ensued between the two men. Woodruff reportedly struck the victim with his fists on the back of his head. At some point Woodruff got the victim into a headlock and started to choke him.

The victim says he couldn’t breathe so he “tapped out.” Woodruff let the man go, demanded money and took about $150 out of the victim’s wallet. The victim advised Woodruff was staying at a motel in the 300 block of South Pioneer Way.

Police responded and contacted Woodruff at the motel. Woodruff claimed he met the victim earlier in the day and said the victim’s allegation was a lie. He said the victim gave him a ride to another man’s apartment and “that was all that occurred.” Woodruff’s girlfriend told police the victim was not “completely innocent” and the man owed Woodruff money.