In the late hours of a cold December night in Spokane, Washington, the life of 23-year-old Kiara Morgan-Weiland, a White/Caucasian female, was tragically cut short. On December 8, 2023, police responded to reports of gunshots near the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Cuba Street. Arriving at the scene around 11 p.m., they discovered a grim tableau: a man, later identified as 37-year-old Colton Russell, was found deceased inside a vehicle, while Kiara lay dead on a nearby road.
An autopsy would later reveal that she had suffered approximately 51 stab wounds, a brutal end to a young life. Russell had been shot multiple times. Both deaths were ruled homicides.
Kiara was remembered by her family as a kind, compassionate, and loving person. A graduate of Dishman High School, she was a mother to a young son and dreamed of becoming a hair and makeup stylist. Her family, including her mother and four siblings, were left devastated by her sudden and violent death. They wanted her to be remembered for the person she was, not for the tragic way she died.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly gained momentum. Detectives from the Spokane Police Department's Major Crimes Unit worked tirelessly, pursuing numerous leads and interviewing multiple individuals. A significant breakthrough came from a home surveillance video that captured the horrific events of that night. This footage was instrumental in identifying a suspect. On December 16, 2023, police arrested 25-year-old Brandon L. Kenny, charging him with two counts of first-degree murder. Police stated that the attack was not random and that Kenny knew the victims.
Court documents revealed a complex and dark backstory that preceded the murders. The investigation uncovered that both Kiara Morgan-Weiland and Colton Russell were suspects in the November 2023 disappearance of Russell's 49-year-old ex-girlfriend, Jannell Martensen. After his arrest, Kenny allegedly confessed to the killings, providing a chilling motive. He told investigators that Russell had previously confessed to him about "accidentally" killing Martensen and had forced Kenny to help him move her body. On the night of the murders, the three were together, reportedly to purchase drugs, when Russell expressed concern that Kenny would go to the police about Martensen's death. It was at that moment, Kenny claimed, that he decided to kill them both. He allegedly shot Russell until his gun was empty and then chased down Kiara as she tried to flee, stabbing her repeatedly.
