Rachael Ballinger, 41, was shot and killed at her North Hawthorne Street home in Spokane, Washington, on June 7, 2026. The fatal shooting occurred during a domestic dispute that reportedly escalated in the basement and was witnessed by her two sons, ages 9 and 14. Court documents say the younger boy heard arguing and saw Josiah Ballinger allegedly push and hurt Rachael before producing a black handgun and firing; the teenager ran back inside after the shot, found his mother at the bottom of the stairs, and called 911, later giving police a description of Josiah’s Jeep.

Police located and arrested 42-year-old Josiah Ballinger a short distance from the residence and recovered a handgun from his vehicle. He was booked into the Spokane County Jail on suspicion of second-degree murder, with bail set at $1 million. Text messages from the weeks before the killing reportedly show Rachael was in the process of separating from Josiah and had raised concerns about his volatile behavior. Friends and family remember her as a hardworking mother who fiercely loved her sons.

Did anyone in Spokane know Rachael or have information about the relationship that could help clarify what happened?