Squatters accused of killing woman with pickup

Suspect alleged to have run woman down, then backed over her

“The investigation shows that there was a heated argument between the subjects and then Faire pulled a gun on the subjects and threatened them” Sheriff Frank Rogers

TONASKET – A man and woman suspected of squatting in an Aeneas Valley home are accused of killing a woman and severely injuring a man by driving over the couple with their pickup on Thursday, June 18

James J. Faire
James J. Faire

James J. Faire, 55, Tonasket and Angelina M. Nobilis, 51, Kent, Wash. have been arrested on first degree murder and first degree assault charges. Witnesses at the scene said Faire ran the victims over, stopped his vehicle, backed up and then drove forward again, running Debra L. Long, 51 of Issaquah, Wash. over a second time. Long died at the scene. George Abrantes, 48, of Marysville, Wash. was injured and was airlifted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane.

The previous day Okanogan County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to a burglary complaint at 36 E. Sourdough Rd., about 20 miles east of Tonasket. Richard Finegold, the owner of the residence, said he had just returned there after being gone since September of last year, according to Sheriff Frank Rogers.

“He said when he returned home he discovered locks had been changed, there was property in the residence that did not belong to him and a large amount of his belongings had been moved outside to outbuildings,” said Sheriff Rogers. At the time Finegold had possible information on the suspects who had been at the residence. Deputies obtained the information but the suspects had left.”

The next day, at around 1:35 p.m., deputies were detailed again to 36 E. Sourdough Rd., when it was reported that the suspects had returned to the residence. Approximately five minutes later dispatch received a call from the same area that two subjects had just been run over, said Rogers.

“When deputies and detectives arrived on scene they discovered a female subject in the roadway who was pronounced dead at the scene and a second male subject who was injured but alive,” Rogers said.

The investigation shows that the two suspects, James J. Faire, 55 of Tonasket and Angelina M. Nobilis, 51 of Kent had returned to the residence.

Angelina M. Nobilis
Angelina M. Nobilis

“Apparently Faire and Nobilis knew Finegold had been gone and decided to move into his place, basically squatting while Finegold was gone. Also, Finegold is missing property and money from the residence,” said Rogers.

When Faire and Nobilis arrived back on the property, Finegold was there along with two other friends, Abrantes and Long and other witnesses.

“The investigation shows that there was a heated argument between the subjects and then Faire pulled a gun on the subjects and threatened them,” the sheriff said. “Faire then got back into this pickup with Nobilis and ran Long and Abrantes over.”

Faire and Nobilis left the scene and drove to Tonasket and called law enforcement from there. Faire and Nobilis were contacted by law enforcement and later were arrested and booked for first degree murder and first degree assault. The vehicle has been impounded and weapons that Faire had were also taken. The investigation at this time is still ongoing, according to the sheriff.