The Bathtub Murder of Kendy Howard, an intense episode of CBS‘s 48 Hours delves into the mysterious and tragic murder of Kendy Howard – which took the little town of Athol, Idaho by surprise. On Feb 2, 2021 — Kendy’s husband Dan Howard, a former Idaho State Trooper made a terrifying 911 call claiming his wife had shot herself. But the scene instantly raised suspicions in the minds of the investigators. What at first glance appeared to be a terrible suicide quickly turned into a convoluted investigation that resulted in Dan Howard’s murderous arrest. Together with correspondent Peter Van Sant, this case’s twists and terrifying facts are revealed on 48 Hours as the crew weaves together the events leading up to that terrible night.
WHAT HAPPENED TO KENDY HOWARD?
On that night in February 2021, Dan Howard made a frantic 911 call, telling the operator through tears that his wife of 26 years, Kendy Howard had shot herself in their bathtub. She was icy and unresponsive, in his opinion. Dan was clearly in distress when the police arrived, but the detectives could not find anything.
Jerry Northrup — a detective with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office and one of the first on the scene, noticed a few strange details. There was water in the tub that was still warm, garments all over the place, and broken glass. There were fresh deodorant stains on Dan’s shirt, and at the foot of the steps was a packed duffel bag. A load of clothes in the middle of the drying cycle was one peculiar indication that puzzled investigators and sparked suspicions. How could someone discover their spouse dead and then begin doing laundry?
Detectives soon had suspicions that the scene had been set up to appear as though someone had committed suicide. After more research, it was discovered that Kendy had been in a problematic marriage and had been subjected to both -emotional and physical abuse. In April 2023, following nearly two years of accumulating evidence – Dan Howard was taken into custody. Incredibly eye-opening testimony given in court during his trial for Kendy’s murder in March 2024 revealed the real reason behind Kendy’s passing.
Where Are Brooke Wilkins and Wyatt Howard?
Kendy Howard was a loving mother to two children: her son Wyatt Howard from her marriage to Dan Howard and her daughter Brooke Wilkins from a prior relationship. Their mother’s passing had a significant effect on them both.
The first person to openly accuse Dan of foul play was Brooke Wilkins — who claimed to have known right away that her mother had not killed herself. Throughout the investigation, she remained steadfast in her conviction and expressed her displeasure with the drawn-out procedure of apprehending her mother’s murderer. Following Dan’s arrest, Brooke posted on social media to express her relief and gratitude to everyone who had contributed to preserving her mother’s legacy. She described the abuse she had seen in her mother’s marriage as she testified against her stepfather during the trial.
Currently, Brooke is a strong, tenacious lady who has used her suffering to drive her mother’s legal rights. She had a daughter named Kenly and a grandma named Kendy, with whom she had a close relationship. Recently, Brooke and Shawn Crowley, who are engaged, took Kenly on her first cruise. She continues her mother’s career path and works at Kootenai Health.
Kendy Howard’s son Wyatt is an adventure-seeking outdoor enthusiast. He enlisted in the US Marine Corps upon his graduation from Timberlake High School and afterward went on to further his studies. Wyatt likes to do things outside like camping, kayaking, and fishing. He often posts about how much he loves nature on social media. He stays out of the public eye but his strength during the trial and his love of the outdoors shows — how driven and daring he is.
Kendy Howard passed away tragically leaving her children Brooke and Wyatt especially traumatized and still dealing with the fallout. The grief of losing their mother and the intricate casework persist even.
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