In the small border town of Oldtown, Idaho, the afternoon of October 24, 2003, was shattered by sudden violence at the Stateline Bar. Henry Franklin Shumake, a 63-year-old Caucasian male from the neighboring town of Newport, Washington, was among those present when a man walked in and opened fire. The gunman, identified as 53-year-old Ralph Reeves, was reportedly motivated by a dispute with his ex-girlfriend, 41-year-old Tiki Danielle Wiese of Oldtown, who was also at the bar.
The scene
descended into chaos as Reeves discharged his weapon, killing four people in total. Besides Shumake and Wiese, the other victims were Wiese's 84-year-old former father-in-law, Leroy Wiese, and another 63-year-old Newport resident, Chester Cavaliere. One witness recounted the terrifying moments, stating that the gunman pointed the pistol at him and pulled the trigger, but the weapon was empty.
Following the deadly rampage, Reeves fled the scene, sparking a manhunt in both Idaho and Washington. Law enforcement located him in his car later that evening. As deputies from Pend Oreille and Bonner counties approached the vehicle, Ralph Reeves took his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The tragic event left the small community in shock, a violent end to a personal dispute that claimed the lives of four innocent people.
