The 911 Call

On February 2, 2021, Dan Howard, a former Idaho State Trooper, made a desperate call to 911 from his home in Athol, Idaho. Distraught and sobbing, he told the operator, “My wife … she shot herself. She’s in the bathtub dead … I go upstairs, and she’s dead. She’s cold.”

The Discovery

Dan Howard described hearing a noise from upstairs while he was downstairs. Over an hour later, he went upstairs to find his wife, Kendy Howard, lifeless in a bathtub, suffering from a gunshot wound to her head. The couple had been married for 26 years.

First Responders Arrive

Deputy Miranda Thomas was among the first responders at the Howard residence that night. She later recounted Dan’s emotional state: “He was screaming, yelling, asking us for help … sobbing, gagging, just overall kind of freaking out.”

Detective Jerry Northrup, also present at the scene, noted that while the initial assessment pointed towards suicide, several elements quickly raised suspicion. He stated, “For a woman to shoot herself in the tub, nude, is unusual.” Investigators began to question if there was more to the story.

Unusual Evidence at the Scene

Investigators found various pieces of evidence that seemed out of place. Notably:

• Broken glass in the primary bedroom
• Kendy’s clothing scattered on the floor
• Wet towels behind the bathroom door
• Warm water in the bathtub when investigators arrived

A packed duffle bag filled with women’s clothing was found at the bottom of the stairs, adding to the complexity of the scene.

Intriguing Clues

Another point of interest was the clothes dryer, which was running with six minutes remaining on its cycle. Investigators speculated about the timing, noting that the dryer had likely started just before Dan Howard called 911. Detective Northrup verified that the dryer cycle started at 10:42 PM, just one minute before the emergency call came in at 10:43 PM.

Further Investigation

These clues prompted detectives to dig deeper into the case. After consulting with medical and forensic experts, they formulated a theory suggesting that Dan Howard might have been involved in his wife’s death.

Legal Proceedings

Following a thorough investigation, Dan Howard was arrested in April 2023. His trial for the murder of Kendy Howard began in March 2024, capturing public attention due to the shocking circumstances surrounding her death.