Couple offers reward to help solve murder
Courtesy photo The family of Clifford "Cory" Fowler is offering a $10,000 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of a suspect. Fowler was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds in February.
Dan and Patty Fowler suspect somebody has information that will lead to the arrest of the person who murdered their son.
For that reason, the Athol couple, along with Dan's sister, Linda Wilson, are putting up a $10,000 reward for information that results in the arrest and conviction of whoever shot 33-year-old Clifford "Cory" Fowler in his Spokane Valley apartment in February.
"We're just waiting for somebody to come forward because people know what happened," Dan said. "As soon as a person comes forward, we can go to trial or work a plea deal and Patty and I can move on to another chapter in our lives, but right now it's on hold."
Cory graduated from Timberlake High School in Spirit Lake, served in the Navy and later graduated from Portland State University with an English degree.
He worked at Premera Blue Cross in Spokane, helping people find health insurance.
"Cory loved music ever since he was a teenager, and he was self-taught on the guitar," Patty said.
Dan and Patty found Cory dead on Feb. 18.
"We hadn't heard from him so we were worried and went to check on him at his apartment," Dan said. "He had been dead for about a week."
Investigators believe a .380 semi-automatic pistol used in the shooting was sold by a private party within the last year in the Coeur d'Alene/Spokane area. The sale likely included ammunition from Rottweil, a German ammunition manufacturer, and the head stamp markings would have read "RWS."
Cory was shot several times.
Dan said all the information detectives have received in the case is circumstantial, so an arrest has not been made.
"Somebody has got to know something," said Dan, adding he believes he knows who committed the crime. "The main reason we are offering the reward is to give people a nudge to come forward and do the right thing."
Cory left behind a 1-year-old daughter.
Anyone with information about Cory's death is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 or visit www.crimestoppersinlandnorthwest.org. Crime Stoppers is also offering up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the case.