Kendy Howard | “48 Hours”

COEUR D’ALENE — When sheriff’s deputies were called to the northern Idaho home of distraught former state trooper Dan Howard, something didn’t seem right. Howard told investigators he found his wife, Kendy Howard, dead in their bathtub with a gunshot wound to her head.

Howard told police his wife took her own life. There was a gun found in the bathtub, though there were no prints or DNA that connected it to the trooper.

The case will be the focus of “48 Hours” this Saturday in a program entitled ‘The Bathtub Murder of Kendy Howard.’

“From the beginnings, it looks odd,” Kootenai County sheriff’s detective Jerry Northrup tells correspondent Peter Van Sant.

Deputies on the scene noticed things out of place. A packed duffle bag was ready to go, and a clothes dryer was running full of clean bath towels. Howard also appeared to have recently showered and changed his clothes.

“Dan knows things that most normal people, ordinary people, don’t know,” says retired Kootenai County Sheriff’s Det. Sergeant Ken Lallatin. “Things like killing someone and staging it to look like a suicide.”

Two years after Kendy Howard’s death, Howard was charged with her murder.

“48 Hours” airs Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9-10 p.m. MDT on CBS and streams on Paramount+.

Watch a preview of the episode in the video player above.

Bryan Kohberger, the 29-year-old criminology Ph.D. student accused of murdering four undergrads at the University of Idaho days before Thanksgiving in 2022 is preparing to appear in a new court for the first time after his successful push for a change of venue.

The hearing Thursday is the first in Boise and is expected to be a minor event to bring the new judge up to speed on the case. But it marks the beginning of a new phase in the proceedings against Kohberger, who could face the death penalty if convicted.

Experts don’t expect to see any surprises but say the new judge will make his presence known to both sides as he takes over the case.

IDAHO STUDENT MURDERS SUSPECT BRYAN KOHBERGER ASKS NEW JUDGE FOR COURTHOUSE WARDROBE EXCEPTION

“It’s just a check-in, since the case was moved, and probably just to let the parties know what he expects going forward,” said Edwina Elcox, a Boise-based defense attorney who is not involved in the proceedings.

Judge Steven Hippler is the Ada County jurist now in charge after his counterpart in Latah County, Judge John Judge, agreed to a defense motion for a change of venue.

“The judge will introduce himself,” said David Gelman, a New Jersey-based defense attorney who has been following the case closely. “They have to get familiar with everything and what motions are still left to do. 

“I’m sure they already have a good idea, but when you change venue, it’s chaotic. Not saying it resets everything, but it definitely makes the case take a couple steps back.”

NEW IDAHO JUDGE IN BRYAN KOHBERGER TRIAL NO STRANGER TO BRUTAL MURDER CASES

Bryan Kohberger is in the custody of the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, according to online jail records. Along with the transfer came a new booking photo, taken when he arrived earlier this month. (Ada County Sheriffs Office)

The case’s previous judge entered not guilty pleas on Kohberger’s behalf to four counts of first-degree murder and a felony burglary charge at his arraignment last year.

His lawyers have asked the court to throw out the possibility of the death penalty.

A hearing on the capital punishment issue has been scheduled for Nov. 7, nearly two years after the slayings.

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Madison Mogen, top left, smiles on the shoulders of her best friend, Kaylee Goncalves, as they pose with Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and two other housemates in Goncalves’ final Instagram post, shared the day before the four students were stabbed to death. (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram)

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According to prosecutors, a man with a large knife entered an off-campus house around 4 a.m. Nov. 13, 2022, and killed four students inside — Madison Mogen, 21, Kaylee Goncalves, 21, Xana Kernodle, 20, and Ethan Chapin, 20.

As investigators scoured the bloody crime scene, they found a Ka-Bar knife sheath under Mogen’s remains, according to court documents. On the sheath, they say, they found a DNA sample that led them to Kohberger.

Bryan Kohberger arrives at the Monroe County Courthouse in Pennsylvania in advance of an extradition hearing. (The Image Direct for Fox News Digital)

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Additional evidence revealed in court includes cellphone records and video showing the movements of his car.

Two additional roommates were not attacked, and prosecutors said one of them froze in place as she watched a masked man leaving out the back door.

The trial has already been delayed and is expected to begin in June 2025.

Calvin Jensen, Sports Information Director, Utah State Eastern

their first of two Scenic West matchups, USU Eastern men’s soccer overwhelmed Pacific Northwest Christian College in a thrilling 12-0 victory at home. The Eagles came out strong, with Owen Gaisford scoring just 36 seconds into the match off a beautiful assist from Brennen Lamont. This early goal set the tone for a relentless offensive performance that saw the Eagles dominate from start to finish.

Brennen Lamont followed up his assist with a goal of his own in the 19th minute, showcasing his ability to both create and finish opportunities. Lamont, along with Boston Rodriguez, who also tallied an assist, dictated the midfield tempo, connecting passes that split the Pacific Northwest defense. Utah State Eastern capitalized on nearly every opportunity in the first half, with Boston Peterson netting two goals and Adan Almaraz contributing two more, leaving the opposition scrambling.

By halftime, Utah State Eastern had scored nine unanswered goals, and their offensive surge didn’t slow down. In the second half, the Eagles added three more goals, including strikes from Carson Leishman and Cory Thomsen. The Eagles finished the game with an astonishing 30 shots, 16 of which were on target. Goalkeeper Thiago Moreira kept a clean sheet, making three saves to secure the shutout.

On Saturday, the Eagles faced a tougher opponent in North Idaho College with both teams locked in a tight, competitive battle. Eastern struck first when Brennen Lamont once again made his mark, scoring just 23 seconds into the match with an assist from Owen Gaisford. This early goal gave the Eagles momentum, but North Idaho’s defense tightened, preventing Utah State Eastern from adding to their lead.

Despite maintaining the edge in possession and pressing forward, the Eagles struggled to break down North Idaho’s defense after the early strike. North Idaho came out stronger in the second half, and in the 50th minute, Adem Arous scored the equalizer for the visiting team. From then on, the match became a midfield battle, with both teams fighting for control but neither able to find a breakthrough.

North Idaho had six shots on goal but only managed to challenge Moreira three times, as the Eagles’ defense, led by Boston Rodriguez and Armando Escobedo, held firm. Moreira’s two crucial saves kept Utah State Eastern in the game. On the other side, Utah State Eastern’s offense slowed, managing only two shots in the second half as North Idaho began to control the tempo.

However, the Eagles showed resilience, keeping North Idaho’s offensive threats at bay and managing the pressure until the final whistle.  Ultimately, the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

USU Eastern (2-4-2, 2-2-1) will remain at home as they welcome the College of Southern Idaho (3-4, 2-3) on Thursday, September 26 and Truckee Meadows (4-4-1, 2-3) on Saturday October 29.  Their full schedule can be viewed at www.usueasternathletics.com.