Logan Spude charged with racially motivated assault

Sedona AZ (December 28, 2012) – On December 25, 2011, at about 2:00 a.m., 61-year-old Marvel Warren, from the Village of Oak Creek, Sedona, Arizona, was assaulted in the parking lot of the Full Moon Saloon in the VOC.  Throughout the investigation, witnesses were generally uncooperative requiring multiple interviews to develop leads. Eventually, 25-year-old Logan Spude, from Cornville, Arizona, was identified as the primary suspect.

The investigation also revealed the assault was racially motivated. Warren is black and Spude is white.

Warren told deputies he was exiting the Full Moon Saloon with a male friend when another male, later identified as Spude, began yelling racial slurs at him regarding earlier contact with a white female bar patron. Warren’s friend attempted to intervene and was pushed by Spude’s friend who was standing nearby. Spude then attacked Warren, knocked him to the ground, and began punching him in the face causing serious injury to his right eye. During the assault, Spude would scream the “N” word after each blow. Spude’s friend eventually pulled Spude off Warren, but the verbal racial slurs continued until Spude and friend left.

YCSO arrived on scene and met with the victim but were unable to locate any suspects. Most of the witnesses were also gone and, when contacted within a few days of the incident, many claimed they could not remember details and names. The case was turned over to detectives from the Criminal Investigations Bureau.

Over the next few months, CIB detectives spent numerous hours tracking down multiple witnesses, even locating some who were now outside the U.S. As the investigation moved forward, detectives developed a timeline of events and names. Some witnesses were interviewed multiple times and began to have better recall, realizing intentional deception could result in criminal charges. The interviews resulted in the identification of Spude as the assault suspect.

On December 25, 2012, detectives discovered Spude was in-custody at the Camp Verde Detention Center on unrelated charges and being held without bond. Detectives served a warrant for the new charges which included Aggravated Assault, Intentional Injury to Another, and Disorderly Conduct.

Citizens can contact the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office with information or questions at 928-771-3260. Read the SedonaEye.com January 31, 2012 article and video link entitled Sedona Assault Packed With Racial Bias Punches for more information.

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