Update: A Sister’s 30-Year Search for How Her Brother Died Continues
On June 4th, 1989, in Spokane, Washington, two friends on their way home were startled when their headlights revealed a body stretched out in the road. Thirteen-year-old Russell Evans had apparently been struck by a car. He was barely alive, calling out for someone named Brian. Russell was admitted to Sacred Heart Hospital at 1:30 AM. Doctors struggled through the night to save his life as his parents stood by. The emergency team worked frantically, but by morning, Russell Evans was dead.
Hours before Russell was killed, he was hanging with his friend Aaron and a few others at a local park. While at the park Aaron got into an argument with two teenagers regarding Aaron’s girlfriend. Being a good friend, Russell decided to step in to defend Aaron.
After the confrontation, Russell decided to spend the evening at a friend’s house. Then, at about 12:30 AM, he called his father to say that he was heading home. Based on evidence found at the scene, police constructed a hit-and-run scenario.
Spokane Police Lt. James Hill:
“On impact with the vehicle, he was separated from his shoes. He finally came to rest about seventy-five feet from where we think he was struck.”
Forensic pathologist George Lindholm concluded that Russell was likely struck in the back by a bumper. However, his father, John Evans, had a different opinion:
“We looked at him after he died and I thought he had been in a fight. Later on, when the police started talking about hit-and-run, his mom and I just couldn’t buy that. The injuries weren’t there.”
Evidence from the scene fully convinced Russell’s parents that he had been attacked and murdered, while police still believe Russell was the victim of a hit-and-run. However, officially, the case remains unsolved.
Update: Diana Gulick, Russell’s younger sister, and only sibling was only five years old when he died. Even though Diana was young, she hasn’t lost hope that someone within the Spokane community knows what happened to her brother.
She has hopes that because it’s been 30 years that whoever was maybe afraid to come forward in 1989, will now speak up to do what’s right and reveal what happened to Russell. She has reached out to every member of the Spokane council as well as the city’s mayor, in hopes of getting this cold case revived.
See the original Unsolved Mystery segment of this case streaming in Season 3, Episode 15 with Robert Stack and Season 6 with Dennis Farina. https://unsolved.com/watch/
4 Comments
leave a reply
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
James
Dear Diana,
There should be a way to look at this that would provide a lot of information.
ELIZABETH HAMILTON
PRAYERS,
MY DADDY WAS KILLED ON JANUARY 15, 2020, HIT AND RUN, UNSOLVED AND IT’S APPROCHING 1 YR SINCE IT HAPPENED WITH NO RESULTS.
Carmel Dennison
Prayers for the family and sister.. This has always haunted me. How this young man’s life was so tragically taken. I always wondered who Brian was???? I always wondered why this Brian never came forward. I find it hard that it was a hit and run also. I have a feeling that those guys in the park that were harassing his friend Aaron had something to do with this young man’s death. It breaks my heart for the parents. It breaks my heart that no one ever came forward.. Praying for answers and Justice for Russell Evans❤️
CDZ
How is this an update?