Man accused of killing girlfriend in West Central lied to police, fled to Florida, according to court documents

Mar. 16—A 30-year-old man accused of strangling his girlfriend last summer in West Central Spokane made several calls to other people before calling 911, gave dispatchers a fake name and fled to Florida after the woman's death, court documents allege.

Corbin J. Hood was charged with suspicion of second-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Stephanie Stine. He was extradited from Florida and taken to the Spokane County Jail on Feb. 28, according to the jail roster. He remained there Thursday on a $1 million bond.

Police responded the morning of July 24 to 1417 W. Boone Ave. after Hood called 911 saying his girlfriend was dead, according to court documents.

Officers detained Hood on the back porch, documents say. Police found Stine dead on a bedroom floor.

Hood had told 911 dispatchers his name was "Steven J. Stine" and that he was in Walla Walla, court records say.

He later admitted to police he provided dispatchers a fake name and was scared to give his real name because of his criminal history. He said he gave the Walla Walla address because his "mind was all over the place," documents say.

Hood denied any physical altercation with Stine and said he did not kill her.

Hood told police Stine went to a downtown "club" the previous night. Hood said he had four or five shots of Jack Daniels whiskey at the Boone Avenue home and passed out on the living room couch around midnight or 12:30.

He said he did not hear Stine get home that night, and around 6:30 or 7 a.m. he found Stine, who lived with Hood at the home, unresponsive on the floor. He said her lips were black and blue, and her eyes were dilated.

Hood said he did a Google search on how to tell if someone is dead, called 911 and performed life-saving measures.

The Spokane County Medical Examiner's Office noted in late July extensive bruising to Stine's body with multiple hemorrhages and abrasions. At the time, the office said it would leave the manner of death pending but believed it was a homicide and ruled out the possibility of a natural, accidental or suicidal death.

In November, the medical examiner's office told police its autopsy determined Stine was strangled. It said Stine also had blunt force injuries to her head, torso and extremities. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.

Besides Stine's injuries, a detective noticed bloodstains spattered on the wall above Stine's head. A pair of black eyeglasses were broken into pieces on top of the bed. A plate of food, which appeared recently prepared, was also on the bed, according to documents.

Hood had some blood on the front of his pink shorts, documents said. Hood also had scratches, which he told police were from everyday matters.

Two family members told police Stine and Hood argued leading up to the death. One said Stine texted her the day before she died that she was going to find a job because Hood was leaving her.

Phone records also showed Hood and Stine arguing via text message the morning of her death.

Phone data showed Stine's phone in the area of Valleyford around 2:30 a.m. July 24. It showed the phone returned back to or near the Boone Avenue home after 5:30 a.m.

Phone records indicated Hood made and received multiple phone calls between about 6:35 a.m. and 8:45 a.m. July 24. He called 911 around 8:25 a.m., indicating he made several calls first, court records say.

A woman told authorities Hood came to her work the day of Stine's death saying he and a male roommate got into a fight and the roommate died. She said Hood claimed self-defense.

She said Hood asked her if he could stay the night at her home and that he was "sweaty and super nervous." She told police Hood stayed with her for a few nights.

The woman told police that Hood then told her the roommate who died was a woman, not a man, and that he and the roommate started arguing, it got physical and "it went too far," according to documents.

She said Hood told her he had her neck in a hold, and at some point she was not breathing. Hood told her the marks on his arm were from the fight and that his glasses broke during the altercation, the woman told police.

She said Hood kept crying that it was self-defense and that he would never intentionally hurt someone.

The woman told police Hood also talked about bus tickets if things were to "go south," documents say.

Hood was arrested on unrelated charges later that year and booked into a jail in Clearwater, Florida, documents say. He was sentenced for motor vehicle theft and carrying a concealed firearm.

The alleged killing was not the first act of violence from Hood against Stine, court records say.

Police documented a domestic violence incident between the couple in August 2021 in Spokane Valley. The report stated Hood used a hammer to break two televisions in their home and then assaulted Stine and stole at least one of her firearms. Stine alleged she was choked, but probable cause was only developed for fourth-degree assault, second-degree malicious mischief, firearm theft and unlawful possession of a firearm, court records say.

Hood, a felon, was also convicted of fourth-degree assault (domestic violence) in 2014.

Hood was in court Tuesday for an arraignment and is set for trial May 8 for the murder charge.