Spokane man gets prison for bloody attack in Coeur d’Alene

COEUR d’ALENE — A Spokane man who pleaded guilty to luring a woman into his motel room and then trying to kill her will spend up to 16 years in prison.

Steven P. Mott, 31, pleaded in accordance with Alford to battery with intent to commit murder, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison. By entering an Alford plea, Mott did not admit guilt but acknowledged there was enough evidence to convict him if the case went to trial.

First District Judge Rich Christensen sentenced Mott last week to 16 years in prison with parole eligibility after eight years.

“I have sat here for a decade and heard some sad, awful stories,” Christensen said. “This is right up there with the top of them. This is a tragic case.”

The charge stems from the early hours of Jan. 6, when police responded to a medical call at the Rodeway Inn in Coeur d’Alene and found a “terrified” 39-year-old woman who was covered in blood and had sustained an 8-inch laceration to the back of her head, as well as smaller cuts to her face, hands and arms.

The woman had been staying at the motel for about two months, according to court records, and usually paid for her room with money she earned by teaching the Bible to others. On nights when she couldn’t afford to pay, employees reportedly allowed her to sleep in a maintenance closet.

Mott told police he was looking for a sex worker when he came across the woman in a closet and invited her to spend the night in his room, which had two beds. The woman accepted Mott’s offer and spoke to him about God and the Bible, according to court records.

After denying Mott’s sexual advances, the woman said she fell asleep in a separate bed and woke to Mott hitting her in the head with a pair of pliers. She told police she managed to wrestle the pliers away from Mott, but he put his hand around her throat and choked her, then held a pillow over her face and attempted to suffocate her.

The woman said Mott stopped attacking her “when she asked why he was so angry.” She fled the room and sought help.

When Mott emerged from the motel room, there was blood on his clothes and hands, according to court records. He reportedly did not comply with commands to get on the ground and moved to re-enter the room, so police shot him in the lower back with a single “less lethal” round and arrested him.

When questioned by police, Mott reportedly admitted that he “tried to kill” the woman by beating her with pliers, court records said.

Inside the motel room, police said, they found a “broken” bed and blood-soaked sheets, as well as a pillow that was completely sodden with blood.

Mott’s attorney, public defender Tyler Naftz, told the court Mott struggled with mental illness and alcohol abuse. Shortly before the attack, Mott had reportedly been released from the hospital after attempting suicide and had difficulty accessing further treatment.

The woman told the court she developed post-traumatic stress disorder after the attack, which she is “overcoming through prayer.”

“I forgive Steven Mott for what he did to me,” she said. “I’m going to continue to pray for him. I pray the Lord forgives him for his sins and has mercy on his soul.”

Christensen acknowledged the woman’s words.

“This court is moved by victims who look not just for retribution but extend forgiveness,” he said before handing down the sentence. “By such virtues, you make the world a better place. I’m sorry for what you had to go through.”

Before receiving his sentence, Mott vowed never to touch alcohol again and apologized to his victim.

“She didn’t deserve this,” he said. “She was nice to me, said a prayer for me that night. I hope she’s doing better and never has to think about this again.”

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or sexual abuse, call Safe Passage Violence Prevention Center’s 24-hour helpline: 208-664-9303.