Crime Fix with Angenette Levy - Cops Tackle Man Who Raped and Murdered Wife

Episode Date: March 18, 2025

Jacob Spray was questioned by police in Pullman, Washington in March 2024 after receiving a calls that his estranged wife, Jamie Wilson-Spray, could be heard screaming on a phone call during a job interview. Spray talked to police for an hour before they tackled and used a stun gun on him after he tried to go into his house. Law&Crime's Angenette Levy goes through the Spray's talk with police in this episode of Crime Fix — a daily show covering the biggest stories in crime.PLEASE SUPPORT THE SHOW: If your child, under 21, has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or fatty liver disease, visit https://forthepeople.com/food to start a claim now!Host:Angenette Levy  https://twitter.com/Angenette5CRIME FIX PRODUCTION:Head of Social Media, YouTube - Bobby SzokeSocial Media Management - Vanessa BeinVideo Editing - Daniel CamachoGuest Booking - Alyssa Fisher & Diane KayeSTAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LAW&CRIME NETWORK:Watch Law&Crime Network on YouTubeTV: https://bit.ly/3td2e3yWhere To Watch Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3akxLK5Sign Up For Law&Crime's Daily Newsletter: https://bit.ly/LawandCrimeNewsletterRead Fascinating Articles From Law&Crime Network: https://bit.ly/3td2IqoLAW&CRIME NETWORK SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawandcrime/Twitter: https://twitter.com/LawCrimeNetworkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawandcrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can binge all episodes of this law and crimes series ad-free right now. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Like I said, we're best friends. We're separated. And it sucks. And I hate it. That's Jacob Spray talking about his estranged wife, who he'll later be charged with raping and murdering. I'll show you what else he said and what led to this moment.

We're going through Spray's police interview and arrest. Welcome to Crime Fix. I'm Anjanette Levy, and I want to let you know really quickly, you can now follow Crime Fix and listen to it and watch it on Spotify. So I hope you'll check us out there. Jamie Wilson Spray, she was a 25-year-old woman, and she was making a really nice life for herself when she was senselessly murdered, police say, by someone who claimed to love her. Jamie was weeks away from earning a master's degree in organizational management and leadership in March of last year. She was studying at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, and worked as an executive chef. Jamie's body was found in a mobile home at a trailer park where she had been living. She had scratches and bruising around her neck.

Jamie had separated weeks earlier from her husband, Jacob Spray. Immediately, police went to Jacob Spray to talk with him, and that conversation was recorded by Pullman Police body-worn cameras. I got a cat out here. Okay, I wouldn't shoot anything. You don't have any weapons on you, do you? Nothing. Well, I have a pocket knife. Okay, can you keep it in there for me? Yeah, I'm not doing nothing. Six, seven ground.

We talked before. We talked the road rage thing. Some guy was messing with you, right? Yeah, making fun of my list. Yeah. But what's going on with Jamie? I need to seriously know because you guys got me freaking the f*** out because you called me. I was just getting off work and now I can't get a hold of her.

I called her sister, and she won't answer my call. All she said was, I can't talk to you right now. And I'm just like, literally in tears, freaking the f*** out. And I just don't know what the f*** is going on. And you guys aren't really being forward with me. Yeah, we're trying to make contact with her and figure out if she's okay. I guess there's some people concerned, so that's kind of why we're following up with everyone. I talked to her today.

I gave you guys my timeline. It was like 3.51 that I had talked to her. And that's Jamie? Yeah, my wife. Sorry. We're still married. We're filing this Friday. But we've been separated since February 14th.

But we've been very cordial. There's been, like, a couple, like, instances where we weren't totally agreeing on stuff. Like, I just gave her, like, $1,000 so she could, because she because she was like wanting to move out of state um and i was like well she she was like can i take the trailer i go i kind of want to keep the trailer um but i was like what if i give you like 1500 and then technically 1750 technically 1750 but that was gonna to pay for the trailer insurance. The $2.50 that I deducted was like trailer insurance and the divorce paperwork. It's like $314 a mile. This is a law and crime legal alert.

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Now, Jacob Spray, he seems a little intoxicated, and you've heard him tell the officers that he and Jamie had been separated since Valentine's Day. He then talks about the last time he claims to have spoken to Jamie. So you talked to her at 351, but you haven't seen her today? No, I, we don't really like cross paths. It's been kind of that thing. Gotcha. When, um, what the hell is going on? We're trying, we're trying to get a hold of her. I, this, you must be, was she like arrested? What's going on no um not arrested just we're trying to locate her or whatnot and someone was concerned about her so i haven't heard from her i'm trying to figure out what what's going on can you uh she's got like a group of

new friends um her gonna my phone would help me okay better um But you said the truck was there and you said you heard the phone. So she doesn't really leave. She can't leave home without either one, really. So what the f***, man? What are you trying to tell me right now? I'm not telling you anything right now. I'm just kind of trying to figure out what's going on so I can get the officers there. I just got here.

They just said, hey, can you come talk talk to she did hook up with a girl in that trailer park we lived there like over the summer um uh this last summer not like um and uh there was a girl that she used to hook up with so and it was like a struggle in our marriage, but she was always like kind of bi. So like, I mean, honestly, I know it's stupid to think, but it's better than somebody else, like some dude. It's like, oh, like. So I'm just trying to figure out what happened today.

Already, Jacob Spray has talked about his relationship with Jamie ending and things that strained it. The conversation with the officers continued. I'm just trying to figure out what happened today. What did she say to you or what was the conversation? You said 351, is that this afternoon? It was this afternoon. What was the conversation then?

We were just talking. We were just, I sent her a thing about that song. It's a real popular song right now. Don't take her from me. Like, like God can have, God can give it, God can take it. And I said, this song will always haunt me. And then I was like, and then the other one from, we were always on road trips and it says from strangers to friends to lovers just lovers to friends to strangers and I always would tell her I never wanted that for us I said

that one always rings in my head she's like yeah like you know I get it. I understand and I just said I hate this. I love you so much He said today yeah, and then so we're still like cordial Yeah, like we're still chill like I did call the police on her one time because she like she had threatened me with domestic violence Like she was like to stage it. Oh, gotcha. And so she showed up here. She said to get her dog, but it was the same day that she had threatened me with DB. And she showed up, and I called the police, and then she got all mad at me for that.

But other than that, we've really been chill as fuck. And you said when you received those messages, where were you at? I was in Moscow. Gotcha. When did you come back to Poland? 6, maybe 6.30. Dinner goes out at 6, so. You said you work at a restaurant or something like that, right?

Store order. Oh, I hear you. I cook for a store order, yeah. Yeah. But dinner goes out at 6, so, I mean, it usually takes me a few minutes after that to wipe down the counter and get everything going. I don't know, I usually get back here about 6 or 8. Did you drive back straight here from the sorority?

I stopped at Hootenloer. I got a drink. Well, for here, I didn't drink it on the way. Drink it on the way guys. So you left around 6ish? 6ish. 6ish. Okay, you got a drink? Gotcha. Well, for here. I didn't drink it on the way. I didn't drink it on the way, guys. So you left around six-ish?

Six-ish, yeah. From the sorority in Moscow. Yeah. Took the highway back, came down whatever it is. You come down the roundabout, come back up, go back to Kuzmar, come all the way down this way, and I come right out here. And I park right there. and I come right out here. I flip a bike, and I park right there.

Now Spray is going through his day, and the police are nailing down his story about where he said he was and what he did. Then Spray pushes the officers to tell him what's going on. Are you going to tell me what this is about? Do I need to go to the bank and get bail money? But I'm just trying to figure out where you've been, where she's been, what's going on with everything. She hasn't responded to me since you got a hold of me because, like I said, I hadn't talked to her.

When did the officer get a hold of you? I'd have to look at my phone, but he called me and I was still working. So before 6? Yeah. And so I went to silent. I had my headphones in. I'm working. I didn't know who Coy was.

So I'm like, whatever. He left me a voicemail so when I got off once I got home I think I think I was like pulling in I actually called him back or I checked the voicemail so what you got home I think so okay I might have called him when I was still in the parking lot but I feel like I called him when I was still in the parking lot, but I feel like I called him when I got here. Because I was just curious. I'm like, who is this person? And he was like, you got keys to that trailer?

I was like, one my wife sent? And he's like, yeah. And I was like, no. We agreed. I wouldn't have any. She's got a set of keys. And I have a set down in the listed. I offered to, because he was like, well we need to get in there. There was a disturbance, like a checking on the piece.

And that was all I ever heard. And then I think you called me or somebody called me and said I can hear a phone ringing in there and so now I'm worried because she was supposed to fix the propane thingy like the propane reader and it broke and so I was thinking maybe she got like carbon dioxide poisoning but also I know she's been hanging out with people, so I don't know if she's done some bad blow or something. The officers ask Jacob Spray a question that could really put him in a jam if he's not telling the truth. What kind of phone is that? Same size.

You have it inside? The one you're talking about that's charging? Yeah. Okay. And so the last you heard from us and you've been here, they asked you about the keys and then you've been here since that time until they started, did you text the officer or something like that? I texted him and then I also been texting and calling Jamie. Gotcha. Okay. And then I called my dad just because I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Nobody was talking to me. What's your dad's name? Randy. Randy. What'd you tell him about what's going on? Not much. I just needed to know what I should do and if I needed to get money Because I thought I was gonna bail her out for something

Okay, so I was just trying to figure out like how he does it gotcha And You guys so you had your phone so you made a call to what time would you think you called Randy? Is it your dad's name? Yeah I don't know what time is that now? 008 15 What time did you call your dad? I don't know. What time is that now? Oh, 8.15.

35 minutes ago, maybe 40. Now, if you follow a lot of true crime, you know your phone is basically a tracking device. So Spray's answers to those questions could really hurt him if the phone data doesn't back up his story. Then police get Spray to lay out his day again with times. What time did you go to work this morning? 8.15. Okay. Well, no, I got there at 8.15. So I left here at like 7, probably 50. Did you? I started a 30-minute workout at 6.45 a.m. Usually when I finish that,

do some weights, some sit-ups, I take a shower, let him out, and then I hop in the car and I bounce. And so I usually get there about 8.15 and then I'm there all day. I run my own kitchen. I don't have like a sous chef. So you didn't leave at lunch or take a break or anything? I mean I never drove my car. I walked across the way to the ballpark at lunch. So right there, the officers get Spray to talk about what his phone should show and where he said he was. Then it's Spray's turn to ask a question. Okay. Are you going to ever tell me what's going on with my life? Well, so the concern is that we found her at the trailer and she's not doing well well and the medics are trying to help her we're just trying to figure out what is going on and what happened to her and and what's going on like what

so i don't know that's what we're trying to so i just got to say hey come ask him about what happened he's the last one that that knew where she was as far as we know and so they're trying to figure out where that is i talked talked to her like we're still friends. Makes sense. And so you know what's going on there and trying to figure out what happened. Do you, when's the last time you've been over? So I was over there last night. Okay. I dropped off food. Gotcha.

I dropped off jerk chicken with dirty rice and a Rice Krispie treat and Brussels sprouts that were sweet chili sauce. Okay. And she was about to leave. She was on her way out the door. I didn't even go in the trailer um we met outside i tried to make out with her she said i want to make out um she did kiss me and we hugged but she had she said she had to go to work to do a um a fruit fruit tray for 7 30 so she didn't have to come in.

Gotcha. And I was just getting off work and it was about 6 p.m. Where does she work? Does she work in food service too? Yeah, she's a catering chef. She's an executive catering chef for Vandal Eats. Oh, gotcha. I can't remember. I always forget what her company name is. Chartwells, I think is what it is.

Spray said he and Jamie both worked in Moscow, Idaho. Moscow is just across the state line from Pullman, but they worked at different places. Spray, throughout this conversation, reveals little things about his relationship with Jamie that end up being a really big deal. Last night, everything was cool? You guys weren't fighting or anything like that? No, everything was fine. And we were fine today too. Everything was fine. Like I literally texted her. I said, I got the confirmation on our divorce paperwork. So like, I'll go pay that on Friday. So we're all good. And she's's like do I need to be there I said

no I guess it sounds to me like I just have to go and show him the stupid email and we're good okay and then we'll have to go in front of a judge at some point of course but yeah like I don't know like everything was goes in she told me she loved me I said said, you promise? She said, yes. Like, I'm sorry. I'm kind of needy. Like, I still love her, even though she left me.

Like, I'm still, like, I've told her numerous times, like, we can't go back. But honestly, if she were to be like, I'll take you back, I'd go back. Gotcha. Well, that was your phone? Yeah. The same ringtone. Yeah, just the same. They're all the same.

I swear. So you heard earlier, the officers told Jacob Spray that Jamie was found at her trailer, and she's not doing well. So what hospital is she at? Can I go see her? Yeah, we'll have to figure that out. So I don't know. I am with you. I'm being honest with you. Yeah. He's going to figure that out. So I don't know. I'm with you.

I'm being honest with you. He's going to come up here and he'll have more information about what's going on. He just asked me to come see. So I have your workplace coming? Yeah. Yeah. When you guys... You said that she's claimed

or was talking about claiming domestic violence. Was there any other physical fights between you guys ever in the past? So there was one about spring break of last year. She was pretty amped up about an event she had where she had to fly to California. And it was kind of a cool event. It was like at a winery. But she was feeling the pressure of it and also she had to like chaperone like i think 12 students maybe 10 12 students so she was just kind of like

stressed out i had an interview the next morning for whitman county hospital so i was stressed out. We both drank. We both were hitting, not hitting each other, but like hitting each other with like words. And I tried to go to bed. She like grabbed me. I ended up macing her because she was like swinging. know I'm saying and all I could that's all I could think of I was wearing this jacket actually and I don't have mace in it right now but I I had some right it was like and I don't have it now but I had some and so it was like the first thing that I could think of and she still came at me now blind really swinging and I I held her, and she went the next day and filed a DV report on me, showed him the bruises. She ended up not pressing charges. We talked through it. But it was nothing.

I think it was just a stress of both of us. This next exchange is pretty telling, as Jacob Spray talks about Jamie and him splitting up and his feelings about it. As far as the split goes, you're describing it as fairly amicable? Yeah, no, I have papers in my car. We, uh... I don't want it. Sure. But she wants it. I love her.

We'll do it. Like I said earlier if she were to be like take me back I would do it in a heartbeat even though it's like throwing my whole dignity and my everything away but um no like she was telling me today she was saying that thousand bucks i gave her she's like i think i'm gonna use it and go to california i was just like all all right, yeah, you do you. I'm fine.

I hate that you're going far away. Like, she was like, move to California or just visit? So she said she was going to move to Spokane and stay with Danny. And then her and Danny were going to go to California. He's like a California native. He's like a rich boy. Gotcha. And he's gay, so. California. He's like a California native. He's like a rich boy. And

he's gay. I really wasn't worried about it. I'm like, yeah, go be roommates with him. But yeah, that's what she was talking about today when we were chatting. Okay. On Snapchat?

No, we talked on the phone too. What was that? Like one o'clock. Okay. Like, I don't know. How long did you guys talk on the phone? What did you think, four?

I don't know, 20 minutes. So Jacob is telling the officers that he spoke to Jamie by phone that afternoon. Can you explain to me what everything that was said at the conversation at one o'clock then? It was mostly about the Spokane thing and then going to California and she was happy to she was like, I finally know what I'm doing with that thousand bucks.

Did she say where she'd be or what her plans were for the rest of the day? No. I thought she was at work. What else was said? Do you remember? She didn't. A lot of times she she just says it's none of your business and I'll tell you like some stuff, but a lot of times she says I don't even have to tell you this because it's, we're not together anymore. So, and I try to

respect that boundary because she says that's part of the reason she didn't want to be with me is because like when she get multiple texts I'd be like oh who's that and she's like she just felt like that was like intrusive on her space like I should just leave it alone but she would still do that to me. Like, when I get work texts, she'd be like, oh, who's texting? But I don't mind. I'm like, oh, it's just Kiefer. It's so-and-so. And so, yeah, like, I don't know.

But so I've just been trying to be more respectful in that sense. Did you guys, when you guys talked at one, did you guys talk about relationship at all no it's been it's i'm i'm at acceptance i've already hit grief denial like um it's been six and a half weeks uh like she's made it abundantly clear that we're never gonna be a thing and like i said earlier i'veantly clear that we're never going to be a thing. And like I said earlier, I've told her that there's no going back. Like, my family, never. Like, no matter what. Like I said, I would take her back.

But my family, it would be an awkward Christmas. Even worse, Thanksgiving. Jacob Spray then tells a story about catching Jamie a year earlier with another woman. This talk with police happened on March 26th. He said the month before, on Valentine's Day, Jamie told them their marriage was over. That Wednesday was Valentine's Day. So I had flowers, and I had texted her, and I go, hey, you mind if I come by your work? I got something for you.

She goes, well, can we meet outside? I go, yeah, let's. So she hops in my car and I'm like, hey, flowers. Happy Valentine's Day. Love you. And she goes, I want a divorce. And I was just like, whew. I did not see that coming.

So nothing was going bad before that? No. Like, she she said so as we've talked over this last six and a half weeks she's like I felt it for a while I just didn't know like if I was ready for it and I didn't want to make a mistake so I had to make sure I was sure you know, and I get that. I understand it. Um, it was a shock to me and, you know, terrible news to me, but, and I didn't do well. Um, you know, I threatened to kill myself and I was like, I would never, but you know, try to pull that like sympathy card. What did you tell her when that happened what did that like about suicide did you tell her that like i was yeah eventually jacob spray becomes a little irritated you're not giving me any information all you're doing

is questioning me and now i'm starting to worry like she did some like coke or something with fentanyl or something and you're talking about another officer coming which has like got me kind of jittery. Well it's just like we don't know the whole story right? We just got on shift and we were just told to come check on you. So we have, we don't even know what's going on. Well, I don't know the whole story. Yeah. Right. Hopefully he'll be able to... He should be up in a second. He said he was on his way.

That's what they were saying. Can I go grab another beer? I'd prefer if you didn't. I can leave the door. Hopefully it'll be wrapped up soon. Yeah. You don't mind waiting, does he? I'd appreciate it. It's just kind of inconvenient.

Like, I'm literally freaking out right now. Well, I have been for about, I don't know what time it is now, but it feels like at least two and a half hours since that first call. And they were saying that her phone was ringing in the trailer. Now this goes on and on for some time. Then a little more than an hour into the conversation, the officers asked Jacob Spray about a phone call he had with his father earlier that day. You said your father was at the casino or something?

They're at the Coeur d'Alene Casino right now. They're at the Coeur d'Alene? Gotcha. And what did he say when you got off the phone with him? earlier that day. yeah it was just cutting out then it just clicked out and then that was it okay um but you told him that what was it you said you told him again said the cops called about jamie yeah i can't get a hold of her okay i said would you call her uh-huh like but i don't think he heard me because like he didn't say yes and then it just like cut out yeah yeah i got you um because i thought maybe she's ignoring me because we're like not talking so uh so that you know he had we we had been we had a chance to talk with him, and he shared something a little bit different that you had shared with him. Can you tell me a little more about that part of it, though? What did he say?

Well, he told us something slightly different, and I suspect you might know what he said differently. I got this on you. Get on the ground! Get on the ground! Don't just grab it! Don't just grab it! I got this arm pinned. I got this arm pinned. You got it? You got it? I'm locking up. Oh, me, me, me, me.

That's me. That's me. Stop. Okay. I'm done. I'm done. I'm done. I'm done.

I'm done. You're under the breast. I'm done. Okay. I'm done. I got left arm pinned. Dude, I'm done. I'm done.

I will do whatever you say. Let go. go. Yes, roll out so we can go prone. I'm done. I'm done. I'm gonna give you another one if I think you're doing something. I'm not doing nothing. Hello. I'm done. I'm done. Okay, I got one. Hold on, we're all tied up. I got last leave, so somebody go cuffs. Let me put it to the floor. I'm done. Okay. I hear you. Once we get you in cuffs, figure it out. Police would later say that Jacob Spray called his father and told him that he killed Jamie.

Despite trying to back into his house to get away from the cops, Spray appears to comply. I'm not even moving, guys. There's nobody here. There's a dog and a cat. It's a wallet and a cat yeah normal normal pocket items I know well someone's sitting on it someone's sitting on it so I can't give it to you I can't I can't give it to you because someone's sitting on it I can't give it to you because someone's sitting on it. I can't give it to you because someone's sitting on it. Yes. There you go.

The officers read Spray his rights, after he'd talked to them at length, of course, and he wasn't in custody when they spoke with him, but he definitely is now. All right. Do you understand your rights? Do you want me to read them again? We'll read them again later. What's up with this pen scanner? Yeah, that... No, that one's not mine, I think that one's Alex's.

Alright. We'll double walk. Okay. Okay, I want a full search before you. I already told them I only have a knife in my pocket and it's right here. Okay, turn your head the other way. We're going to roll you up onto your left side. Left side. Okay, you sit there. Go ahead, love. side. Okay, we'll sit there.

Go ahead, love. Wallet. You want me to remove darts? No. Okay. Which one of you guys got tased on accident? Don't worry about it. I heard it.

That's mine. Yeah. Keys, lighter. Is that an RF one? Uh, let's see, I still don't mind. Seeing as it looks like I'm going to be there a while, you don't mind if I grab my glasses? We'll work on that stuff later, one thing at a time. Thank you kindly. There's a lighter and a pocket knife in there as well.

I'm not going anywhere by the way. You just need a couple of the probes as well just for the Taser application. I snapped the wires to get the T out. Well no that's fine. We just gotta take photos of the impact sites. I'm not going anywhere. I know. Need to take in selfies? Wow, dude, they already checked me. Eventually, the officers get Jacob's spray on his feet.

Hello. Hi. I'm Sergeant Gordon with the Poland Police Department. Yeah. I'm guessing you've seen us, that we're here. There's a lot of us here. No, really. So, your neighbor was arrested for murder.

So, we are going to be here for a while, unfortunately. I'm guessing you can't tell me who murdered him? Maybe later. It should be publicly. No, it's not publicly now. Notification. So, let me start with this. Before we got here, did anything happen today that's out of the norm or anything like that? I mean, we've been home since about maybe like, I'd say four. But he didn't get home.

I don't think anybody was here until about like six or seven. He gets home at like around that time every day. Did you have any interaction with him today or hear him or anything like that? I mean, he was outside talking to a friend, I think. That was the only thing that we heard. Jacob Spray was charged with raping and murdering Jamie Wilson Spray. He was convicted at trial earlier this year in Whitman County, Washington. The prosecutor told the jury that Jacob was controlling and couldn't handle the thought of Jamie pursuing a new life without him. Jacob's father actually testified against him at trial, saying his son confessed to killing Jamie

in a phone call, and a woman testified she was talking with Jamie on the phone during a job interview when she started to scream. Jacob's attorneys argued there wasn't enough evidence to convict him of murdering Jamie and that there was unknown DNA at the scene that pointed to other killers. Jamie's family has remembered her as a vibrant young woman who loved comedy, fine dining and her family. Jacob Spray will be sentenced at the end of March. He faces between 20 and 26 years in prison. Prosecutors plan to ask for the higher end of that sentence. And that's it for this episode of Crime Fix. I'm Ann Jeanette Levy. Thanks so much for being with me. I'll see you back here next time.