SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — KREM 2 is intentionally not sharing the victims' last names to protect the child's privacy.
A Spokane man who stabbed and killed his ex-girlfriend and stabbed her young daughter in 2021 was sentenced to 36 years in prison Friday and 36 months in community custody after his release.
Joshua Phillips pleaded guilty last week to first-degree aggravated murder and first-degree attempted murder for the death of his ex-girlfriend, Kassie and the stabbing of her 5-year-old daughter, Lilly.
He was sentenced on Friday to 432 months in jail for first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder. He will have to serve 36 months in community custody after his release. The charges include the following:
- First-degree murder of his ex-girlfriend Kassie: 250 months in jail, or 21 years.
- First-degree attempted murder of the stabbing of Kassie's 5-year-old daughter, Lilly: 182 months in prison, or 15 years.
- 36 months in community custody after he is released from jail.
On Friday morning, the courtroom for Phillips' sentencing was completely full. They even had to open a second courtroom for the overflow of people who knew and loved Kassie. In the hearing, Kassie's family and friends confronted her killer.
Kassie's aunt, Kristina Ralls, described the pain she still feels today.
"He chose to rip a mother away from her children, a sister away from her brother, a daughter away from her parents," Ralls said. "He stole a granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend. He has left a hole that can never be refilled. We tried to plant flowers and shine lights on our memories but that dark place will always be there. We can't escape it."
She and others also told the judge who Kassie was and the memories they will always cherish.
"Kassie's smile and her laughter could light up a room," Ralls said. "She was spontaneous and free. She knew what she wanted, and she went for it. Her zest for life was enviable."
The lead SPD detective on this case, detective Ben Green, told KREM the evidence and testimonies investigators collected helped secure the defendant's guilty plea.
Looking back at the investigation, Green remains impressed by the incredible strength of Kassie's daughter after surviving this attack.
"I had the privilege of meeting her daughter multiple times and she is a fighter," Green said. "It is a miracle she's with us today. A lot of it is due to just her own strength and determination."
On April 11, 2021, Kassie was found dead in her home on North Adams Street. Kassie died from multiple stab wounds and confirmed her manner of death as a homicide, the Spokane County Medical Examiner said.
Kassie's daughter, Lilly, was hospitalized after suffering injuries in the attack. Medical staff told police Lilly was stabbed 7-10 times and required immediate surgery. A medic told police Lilly was talking while being transported to the hospital and said, “the man stabbed me," according to documents.
After the attack, Lilly spent nearly a month in the hospital, some of the time on life support, but she was later taken off life support and returned home.
Court documents released after the attack revealed Kassie ended her relationship with Phillips two days before her death. Her family also changed the locks on the home to prevent Phillips from getting inside.
During the investigation, detectives also learned that Kassie had apparently received about 100 text messages from Phillips one day before her death. One of the investigators was told that some of the text messages sent by Phillips were “very disturbing.”
In October 2021, Phillips was found competent to stand trial for the murder and attack. The competency report showed Phillips had the capacity to understand the nature of the legal proceedings.
The maximum sentence for first-degree murder is nearly 27 years, and the maximum for attempted murder is 20 years. A judge sentenced Phillips to 36 years behind bars on Friday, and he will have to spend 36 months in community custody.
Phillips is 43 years old and will likely be about 80 at the end of his sentence. The defense said it is unlikely he will outlive this sentence due to his deteriorating health and age.
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