On a summer evening in Spokane, Washington, the life of Michael Curtis Materne, a 36-year-old Caucasian male, was tragically cut short. On July 3, 2022, what began as a dispute escalated into a fatal encounter in an alley behind his residence in the 5300 block of North Belt Street. An argument with his ex-girlfriend, Stacy L. Gerber, turned into a physical struggle over a handgun.
During the altercation, a shot was fired, though it did not initially appear to strike anyone.
As the vehicle Gerber was in began to leave the scene, more gunshots were heard, and Materne fell to the ground. The Spokane County Medical Examiner would later confirm that Michael Materne died from a gunshot wound to his upper extremity and torso, ruling the manner of death a homicide. Remembered as a man with a larger-than-life personality and a boisterous, genuine laugh, Materne was a heavy equipment operator and a small business owner who enjoyed UFC fights, being outdoors, and, most of all, being a father to his four children.
The investigation into Materne's death quickly focused on his ex-girlfriend. Stacy L. Gerber, then 32, was soon identified as the primary suspect and a warrant was issued for her arrest on charges of second-degree murder. She was taken into custody by Major Crimes Unit detectives. Another woman, Daisy J. Ford, was also implicated in the events of that day.
Both Gerber and Ford initially faced second-degree murder charges. However, in February 2023, Stacy Gerber pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to 8 1/2 years in prison. Daisy Ford pleaded guilty to first-degree rendering criminal assistance and received a one-year jail sentence. During the sentencing, Materne's family expressed their profound grief, describing the immense loss they felt and the permanent void his death created in their lives.
