In the quiet town of Athol, Idaho, the life of 48-year-old Kendy Howard, a White female, came to a tragic end on February 2, 2021. What initially appeared to be a suicide would unravel into a complex investigation, revealing a troubled marriage and culminating in a murder conviction. The story that unfolded painted a grim picture of her final days and the efforts to conceal the truth of her death.
On that February night, Kendy Howard was found deceased in the bathtub of her home with a
gunshot wound to her head. Her husband, Daniel Howard, a former Idaho State Trooper, made a frantic 911 call, claiming his wife had taken her own life. Responding deputies found Kendy's body and her pistol in the tub. However, investigators at the scene immediately felt that something was amiss. The lack of significant blood spatter was inconsistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and a packed duffle bag found in the home suggested someone was planning to leave.
The initial autopsy by the Spokane County Medical Examiner concluded that the cause of death was a gunshot wound, but the manner of death was left as "undetermined." This ruling, however, was met with skepticism by investigators who had growing suspicions about Daniel Howard's account of the events. Their investigation uncovered a tumultuous relationship, including a recent affair Kendy was having and her desire for a divorce, which would have significant financial implications for the couple. Further examination of Kendy's body by other forensic experts revealed numerous bruises, a broken jaw, and signs of asphyxiation, leading them to believe she was deceased before the gunshot. One expert concluded that Kendy was not alive when she was shot.
Two years after Kendy's death, following a thorough investigation, Daniel Howard was arrested in July 2023 and charged with her murder. Prosecutors argued that he had killed Kendy by strangulation during a violent argument, and then, using his law enforcement knowledge, staged the scene to look like a suicide by placing her in the bathtub and shooting her. During his trial in March 2024, the prosecution presented evidence of domestic battery and the financial motive for the murder. The defense maintained that Kendy had died by suicide.
After a 10-day trial with testimony from 62 witnesses, the jury deliberated for just over eight hours before reaching a verdict. On March 19, 2024, Daniel Howard was found guilty of second-degree murder and domestic battery. He was later sentenced to life in prison.
