In the early morning hours of April 16, 2016, a dispute inside a room at the Northwest Motor Inn in Puyallup, Washington, ended in the shooting death of 25-year-old Lucas Gritzke. A man from Federal Way, Gritzke had gone to the motel to confront a fellow heroin dealer, Troy Bottemiller, who he believed had been impersonating him to sell drugs to his clients while he was in jail.
The confrontation escalated, leading to a fatal gunshot wound to Gritzke's chest.
Police were called to the motel on South Meridian just before 5 a.m. after a 911 caller reported the shooting. Upon arrival, they found Gritzke on the floor of room 222. Despite officers performing CPR, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The initial investigation pointed to a dispute over narcotics. Witnesses reported that Gritzke had angrily demanded money and other valuables from Bottemiller to compensate for the stolen customers.
The suspected shooter, 25-year-old Troy Bottemiller, initially fled the scene in a vehicle but was arrested when he later returned to the motel. A. 45-caliber handgun was discovered hidden in some rocks below a stairwell. Bottemiller was subsequently charged with second-degree murder. During the investigation, it was revealed that the two men had a history, including a physical altercation years prior where Gritzke had broken Bottemiller's nose.
During the trial, the prosecutor argued that after agreeing to give Gritzke items from his car, Bottemiller pulled out a gun as Gritzke walked towards the door. When Gritzke expressed disbelief and took a step towards him, Bottemiller fired the single, fatal shot. Bottemiller's defense attorney claimed he acted in self-defense, stating that Gritzke was high on methamphetamine and that Bottemiller was in fear for his safety due to the previous assault. In July 2017, a jury acquitted Troy Bottemiller of second-degree murder, concluding that he had acted in self-defense. The jury later also found that the use of force was justified, allowing Bottemiller to seek reimbursement for his legal fees.
