In the summer of 2022, the life of 34-year-old David Knoepfle was tragically cut short in a senseless act of violence on a Spokane, Washington highway. On the evening of July 15th, Knoepfle, a Gonzaga Prep graduate and aspiring tattoo artist, was driving on eastbound Interstate 90. He and his fiancée were in separate cars, heading home after a dinner date.
What began as a minor traffic incident quickly escalated into a fatal road rage encounter.
The driver of a white Chevrolet sedan, later identified as Treven Lewis, began to aggressively harass Knoepfle's fiancée, brake-checking her and brandishing a handgun. In an act of protection, Knoepfle maneuvered his gray Mitsubishi Lancer between his fiancée's vehicle and the aggressor's car. It was then that Lewis fired multiple shots, one of which struck Knoepfle in the back. The fatal wound caused Knoepfle to lose control of his vehicle, which then crashed through a fence near the Appleway exit. He was pronounced dead at the scene, leaving behind a young daughter and a community of grieving friends and family.
The Washington State Patrol launched a homicide investigation, interviewing witnesses who described the suspect as a Black male. Their investigation led them to Treven Lewis, a man who was on community custody for a prior manslaughter conviction from 2012. A crucial piece of evidence came from a coworker of Lewis's wife, who reported that the wife had admitted Lewis was the shooter. Lewis was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
During the court proceedings, Lewis denied the allegations. However, he ultimately entered into a plea deal, pleading guilty to first-degree manslaughter and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. In the fall of 2023, Treven Lewis was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the killing of David Knoepfle. The tragic event left two families devastated, as it was revealed that Lewis's own children were in the car with him at the time of the shooting.
