SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – A man was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the gang-related murder of a 15-year-old boy, who was lured to an apartment complex and shot.
According to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), Stephen Yohler has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the gang-related murder of 15-year-old Preston Grzogorek.
Yohler was found guilty of first-degree aggravated murder and first-degree murder with aggravating circumstances, as he was armed with a firearm during the crime and committed a felony gang-related offense to benefit or enhance the reputation of the gang. He was also charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit murder and tampering with a witness. The trial and sentencing took place in Spokane County Superior Court.
Court documents reveal that Grzogorek, a University High School student, was lured to an apartment complex under the pretense of buying a vape product. SCSO stated that Yohler solicited a minor to lure Grzogorek out of the Village apartments. Witnesses reported seeing Grzogorek leave for the parking lot to sell the product, and shortly after, they heard multiple gunshots. A suspect in a black jacket and blue jeans was seen fleeing the scene.
Yohler was arrested on May 6, 2021.
