In the quiet town of Newport, Washington, the afternoon of November 6, 2022, was shattered by a fatal act of violence that claimed the life of Jennifer Lee, a 44-year-old Caucasian female. First responders from the Newport Police Department and the Pend Oreille County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a residence on the 400 block of West Seventh Street following a report of a shooting.
Upon their arrival, they discovered Jennifer Lee deceased inside the home from a gunshot wound to the head.
The initial investigation quickly identified her 29-year-old boyfriend, Nathan Fry, as the primary suspect. Fry, who was present at the scene along with Lee's estranged husband, Christian Lee, was taken into custody without incident and subsequently booked into the Pend Oreille County Jail. He was initially charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The events leading up to the fatal shooting began with a heated argument between Jennifer and Christian Lee. According to Christian Lee's account to the police, he had gone to Jennifer's bedroom to discuss a dispute among the roommates over missing property. The argument escalated, and at one point, Jennifer reportedly charged at him. He stated that he pushed her back toward the bed. It was then that Nathan Fry intervened, picking up a shotgun and stepping onto the bed. Christian Lee told investigators that Fry pointed the weapon at him before appearing to fall backward, at which point the gun discharged, striking Jennifer.
Another resident of the house corroborated hearing a loud argument. He told police that when he went to see what was happening, he was met by Fry, who informed him that Jennifer was dead because he had tried to shoot Christian Lee. In his own statement to the police, Fry claimed that he picked up the shotgun to stop the altercation between Jennifer and Christian, who he said were pushing and yelling at each other. He asserted that he stood on the bed and pointed the gun in their general direction, telling them to stop. He maintained that he tripped and fell backward, causing the gun to accidentally discharge. He denied intentionally pointing the gun at either of them or meaning to shoot.
Ultimately, Nathan Fry pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm. On February 8, 2024, he was sentenced to over 12 years in prison for his role in the death of Jennifer Lee. He was also ordered to serve three years of community custody upon his release.
