A former Idaho State Police trooper was arrested Friday for the alleged murder of his wife in 2021.
Daniel Howard, 57, of Athol, turned himself in to the Kootenai County Jail Friday night after an arrest warrant was obtained, charging Howard with the Feb 2021 murder of his wife, Kendy Howard, according to a Kootenai County Sheriff's Office news release. The warrant also charged Howard with felony domestic battery.
Howard Told Cops Kendy Shot Herself
On Feb 2, 2021, Howard called police and told them Kendy had shot herself. Kendy was found dead, naked in the bathtub with a gunshot wound. Kendy's daughter said on Facebook that at the time of her death, her mother was planning to file for divorce—after years of domestic violence.
"The marriage was always bad. But it became terrible the last couple years," Wilkins wrote. "She was coming to work with bruises. She would do anything not to be home when he was. He would threaten to kill himself if she wanted to leave."
Her mother started gathering her financial paperwork, speaking to attorneys, and looking for houses in her hometown, she wrote. "A week before her death law enforcement was called to escort her out of the house. She woke up with him standing above her wearing all black and gloves."
Howard Threatened Friend for Having an Affair with His Wife 10 Years Ago
About 10 years ago, Daniel Howard learned his wife had an affair with his friend, Matthew Wood, as reported by Spokesman-Review in a 2015 story.
Howard then threatened Wood and, later, poured syrup in Wood's vehicles, left him vulgar messages and fired a shotgun in his house, the prosecutor's office alleged. Howard was charged with stalking, assault and property damage. He admitted to some of those acts and agreed to pay restitution to Wood.
He was suspended from the Idaho State Police in 2014 after being accused of stealing ammunition, using a fake name in a motorcycle title application, and possession of an untagged deer,
Howard Killed a Woman in Police Shooting in 2011
Daniel Howard resigned from state police in November 2014 after 19 years of service. He was sentenced in early 2015 for malicious injury to property, petty theft, title fraud and failing to tag a deer he shot.
The cases were wrapped up with a guilty plea to two of the charges, for which Howard got a suspended sentence of three years in prison, 120 days in jail and 600 hours of community service.
The judge said he believed Howard acted under stress brought about by his return to duty following a 2011 police shooting in which he killed a woman, followed by Howard learning of his wife's relationship with Wood.
Many people said at sentencing that Howard was different after the 2011 on-duty shooting when he fired as a fleeing fugitive backed a Jeep into him. He mistakenly shot the female passenger. The shooting was determined to be justified and Howard returned to duty.
