How a former Idaho state trooper was arrested for his wife's murder
Kendy Howard was found dead in her bathtub. While dispatched as a suicide, clues at the scene made Kootenai County authorities suspicious. Here's a look at the case:
A 26-year marriage
Dan and Kendy Howard had been married since 1994. By 2021, Dan Howard had gone from working as an Idaho State Trooper to working in the Alaskan oil fields for three weeks at a time.
Kendy seeks divorce
On Jan. 28, 2021, just five days before she died, Kendy Howard picked Dan Howard up from the airport and told him she wanted a divorce. She described Dan's reaction to a friend as having been "not good."
Dan Howard's call to 911
On the night of Feb. 2, 2021, at 10:43 p.m., Dan Howard called 911, screaming Kendy had shot herself. "She's in the bathtub dead ..."
The call was dispatched as a suicide.
Dan Howard at the scene
Kootenai County Sheriff's Deputy Miranda Thomas was one of the first officers to arrive. Thomas said she witnessed Dan Howard screaming, crying and gagging.
Kendy Howard found in the bathtub
Caption: Kendy Howard was found dead, naked in the bathtub of her home, with a gunshot wound to her head. Kendy's gun was submerged in the bathwater.
A packed duffle bag
Thomas noticed a duffle bag with what she said seemed to be women's clothing packed inside. "Was someone planning on leaving the house?" she said.
A clue on the dryer
Kootenai County Sheriff's Detective Jerry Northrup said that in the dryer he observed "bathmats and towels ... and they were still somewhat warm," which he said led him to question when the cycle had been started.
How did Kendy Howard really die?
Kendy Howard's gun was found in the bathtub. Investigators said they would have expected to see a lot more blood in the bathtub if she had been alive when she was shot.
Kendy's daughter accuses Dan Howard
When Dan Howard called his stepdaughter Brooke Wilkins with the news of Kendy's death, investigators said they could overhear Wi accuse Dan of killing her mother. Despite their suspicions, detectives said there was not enough evidence at the scene to arrest Dan.
Dan Howard arrested
It took two years for prosecutors to build their case. In July, 2023, Dan Howard was arrested and charged with Kendy Howard's murder.
Dan Howard on trial
On March 4, 2024, the trial of Dan Howard began. The prosecution claimed Dan had killed Kendy by putting her in a carotid restraint hold – a maneuver he had learned in his law enforcement training. The defense maintained that Kendy's death was a suicide. After 10 days of testimony, 62 witnesses, and just over eight hours of deliberations, a verdict was reached.
Dan Howard found guilty
On March 19, 2024, the jury found Dan Howard guilty of second-degree murder and domestic battery.
Life in prison
At Dan Howard's sentencing hearing in May 2024, Judge Lamont Berecz told him, "You killed a mother. You killed a grandmother. You killed a sister ... You snuffed that out because of your own pride, greed, and anger." Dan Howard was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
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