On a summer day in Kamiah, Idaho, the community was shaken by a sudden and tragic act of violence that claimed the life of 31-year-old Maden McAnear, a White / Caucasian male. The incident unfolded on July 19, 2021, at the Sundown Motel, where McAnear and another man, 57-year-old Chip Brooks, were fatally shot. The tranquility of the small town was shattered by the events that were later identified by the Lewis County Sheriff's Office as a double homicide-suicide.
According to witness
accounts, the perpetrator was 71-year-old Ronald Port. Port reportedly first fired into a vehicle belonging to one of the victims before turning his weapon on McAnear and Brooks. The shootings occurred in or near the motel rooms where the victims were staying. All three men involved in the incident were residents of the motel and were believed to be acquainted with one another.
When Lewis County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene, they discovered the bodies of McAnear, Brooks, and Port. The investigation concluded that after killing the two men, Port had taken his own life. As the primary suspect was deceased, the case was considered solved, and no arrests were made. The motive behind the violent outburst was not made immediately clear, leaving the community to grapple with the senseless loss of life. The tragic event left an indelible mark on those who knew the victims, prompting an outpouring of grief and condolences for the families affected by the tragedy.
