Report Daniel Howard Back in Court for Wife’s Murder – The trial of former Idaho State Police Trooper Daniel Howard for the murder of his wife, Kendy Howard, has taken a dramatic turn with Howard’s arrest at the Spokane International Airport on Friday night. Howard, who was out on bond during the proceedings, was booked into the Spokane County Jail around 10:40 pm on Friday and is being held as a Fugitive from Justice pending extradition back to Kootenai County.
The case against Howard is centered around the circumstances surrounding Kendy Howard’s death on February 2, 2021. Kendy was found in her bathtub with a gunshot wound to her mouth, and the prosecution alleges that Howard staged the scene to make it appear as a suicide. Medical experts, including Dr. Bill Smock, a forensic expert who testified about the multiple injuries on Kendy’s body, have provided evidence suggesting that the injuries were consistent with a homicide rather than a suicide. Smock noted that Kendy had approximately 30 different blunt force injuries or bruises, and a burn expert, Dr. Barclay Stewart, described a wound on her as a potential ‘defensive wound’.
The defense, led by Jason Johnson, has maintained that Kendy took her own life. They have called witnesses including Dan Howard’s father, friends, and retired Spokane County Medical Examiner, Dr. John Howard, who performed the initial autopsy on Kendy. Dr. Howard testified that the cause of Kendy’s death was a gunshot wound, a point of contention with the prosecution’s expert testimony.
The trial has seen a significant number of witnesses, including multiple medical experts, testify on behalf of the state. The defense has also presented its case, with many loved ones of Kendy testifying that she was uncomfortable around guns and would never take her own life. Kendy was in the process of buying a home near her family and had rekindled a romance with her high school sweetheart. She had also met with a divorce attorney after approximately 25 years of marriage.
The arrest of Daniel Howard has raised questions about the impact on the remainder of the trial, with court scheduled to resume Monday morning at 9 AM. The case is expected to last three weeks, with around 50 witnesses for the state already testifying.
The medical experts’ doubts about the claim of suicide are highlighted by the forensic pathologist and consultant Jennifer Nara, who initially agreed with the suicide conclusion but now believes it could not be ruled as such based on the evidence presented. Nara pointed out significant bruising on Kendy’s body, a broken jaw, superficial cuts, and a burn on her arm, which were not accounted for in the original autopsy. She also noted the trajectory of the bullet, which she believes was downward, inconsistent with a suicide.
The case has drawn attention to the complexities of determining the cause of death in cases involving gunshot wounds and the importance of forensic evidence in distinguishing between homicide and suicide. The arrest of Daniel Howard adds another layer to the ongoing legal proceedings, with the outcome of the trial yet to be determined.
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