SPOKANE — A man who pleaded guilty to murdering a woman in Spokane in 2012 has been charged with a violent assault on a woman downtown last September, according to recently released court documents.
Avondre C. Graham, 28, was also recently arrested for violently assaulting a woman downtown in January.
According to court documents, Graham approached a woman who was smoking a cigarette outside of her apartment building at the 100 block of South Howard Street at about 4 a.m. on Sept. 15. She tried to ignore Graham, who asked her for a cigarette, the document said.
Graham then demanded oral sex and told her to take off her pants, which she refused to do. Graham then began to attack her, grabbing her around the head, punching her in the head several times and stabbing her in the hip, the document said.
The woman managed to break free from Graham and run away. The woman reported the assault to police and was later treated at Deaconess Hospital, court documents said.
The attack is similar to an incident when Graham is alleged to have attacked another woman in broad daylight near Stevens Street and Main Avenue on Jan. 27. In that incident, Graham also asked a woman for a cigarette and propositioned her for oral sex before attacking her, court documents said.
Graham is alleged to have pushed the woman from behind onto the sidewalk and hit and kicked her in the head and face until witnesses came to her aid. He was arrested about an hour after the incident.
Graham was released from prison in January 2022 after serving 10 years for the murder of Sharlotte McGill, who he stabbed to death while she walked her dog in Chief Garry Park in 2012.
Graham did not have any previous felony convictions at the time of McGill’s killing and took an Alford plea, which allowed him to maintain his innocence but acknowledge that a jury would likely convict him.
Graham was required to spend 36 months in community custody and participate in mental health and anger management treatment after he was released from prison.
Police didn’t arrest Graham for McGill’s murder until about four months later when he attacked another woman on the Centennial Trail, not far from where he killed McGill.
He was first arrested after his confinement following a domestic violence incident on Nov. 7 involving his girlfriend. He was charged with fourth-degree assault, harassment and unlawful imprisonment. He was released the next day.
Graham remains in Spokane County Jail on $375,000 bond. He is not scheduled to appear again in Spokane County Superior Court until next month.
