On February 2, 2021, Dan Howard dialed 911, his voice trembling and frantic. He reported finding his wife, Kendy Howard, dead, allegedly having shot herself. This tragic opening scene unfolded at their home in Athol, Idaho, where Dan claimed Kendy was discovered lifeless, submerged in her bathtub, with her pistol resting at the bottom. Initial investigations deemed the incident a suicide, but as detectives began to dig, they found elements of Kendy's death raised eyebrows.
Kendy was 49 years old at the time of her untimely demise and had been married to Dan, then 55, for 26 years. Living on ten acres, they had established what seemed to be content lives, highlighted by their success in real estate and their shared parenting of their son, Wyatt. Yet beneath the surface, tensions festered. Just days before her death, Kendy had confided to friends her intention to divorce Dan, detailing how their marriage had become strained, exacerbated by Dan’s demanding work schedule as he transitioned to the Alaskan oil fields.
She had expressed frustration and loneliness, feelings compounded by Dan’s past, which included the emotional toll from his involvement in another shooting years before. Witnesses explained how, during this time, Kendy was sprightly and engaging—a woman who loved life. Yet, by early 2021, she was planning her exit from her marriage, even preparing to buy her own home.
On the evening Dan called for help, it was noted by Kootenai County Sheriff's Deputy Miranda Thomas, who was one of the first responders, how Dan was visibly upset yet somewhat performative. "He would scream and yell, but there were no tears," she recalled. First responders found Kendy's body naked, echoing the chilling reality of the scene, covered with only the water from the bathtub. Upon investigation, detectives discovered the gunshot wound was not accompanied by the expected blood spatter, which led them to question the details surrounding the case.
Among the peculiarities noted was the packed duffle bag at the bottom of the stairs filled with women’s clothing, indicative of someone possibly preparing to leave. Also spotted were wet towels behind the bathroom door, and more intriguingly, the clothes dryer was running. Detective Jerry Northrup later remarked how the dryer was still warm—an unsettling clue for the investigators. The dryer showed six minutes left on the load when police arrived, making them question the timeline of events surrounding Kendy's death compared to the 911 call, which had come just one minute later.
Over time, with additional evidence compiled and family concerns voiced, law enforcement began to shift perceptions. Kendy's daughter, Brooke Wilkins, hinted at her mother being caught up in her husband's controlling grasp and implied she didn’t believe Dan’s narrative of Kendy’s death. Even though it originally appeared as if authorities had insufficient evidence to initiate charges, detectives continued their investigation, leading them to reconstruct the moments before Kendy's death.
Dan’s previous experience as a state trooper lent him knowledge about law enforcement procedures, including how to manipulate crime scenes. Given Kendy’s reported plans to separate from him, suspicion soon turned to him as investigators aligned the inconsistencies against his account of the events. After two years, Dan was arrested and charged with his wife's murder. Prosecutors alleged he had used his skills from police training to execute the crime and stage the scene to resemble suicide.
The case moved to trial starting March 4, 2024. The prosecution’s narrative was chilling—alleging Dan had put Kendy in a carotid restraint maneuver before shooting her. While the defense pushed back, maintaining the notion of suicide was feasible, the jury decided otherwise. After 10 days of testimony and 62 witnesses, Dan Howard was found guilty of second-degree murder and domestic battery on March 19, 2024.
At the sentencing hearing, Judge Lamont Berecz delivered strong words, reminding Dan, "You killed a mother, you killed a grandmother, you killed a sister ... You snuffed her out because of your own pride, greed, and anger." Reacting to the ruling he now faces life without parole, the question remains: Did Kendy’s voice, the truth buried under murky circumstances and devious manipulation by someone who once vowed to love and protect her, finally speak loud enough for justice to be served? Many hope so.
