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Detective describes suspected killer's last moments
March 10, 2017
By Detective Dennis Stinebaugh
Kootenai County Sheriff's Office

Steven T. Denson
On March 9 at approximately 4 p.m., Kootenai County deputies were dispatched to a call in the area of Hauser Lake Road and Kopf Road near Post Falls due to a possible sighting of the vehicle driven by Coeur d’Alene homicide suspect Steven T. Denson.

Denson, 61, is believed to have shot and killed his former fiancé, North Idaho College nursing student Kelly A. Pease, 37, formerly of Bonners Ferry and a graduate of Bonners Ferry High School, earlier Thursday as she sat in her vehicle in the parking lot at Kootenai Health.

She leaves behind five children.

Thanks to Kootenai County Sheriff’s Deputy S. Larsen’s attentiveness while driving west on Highway 53 towards the call, he spotted Denson’s vehicle traveling east bound on Highway 53 in a line of many other cars several miles from its last reported location.

While Deputy Larsen turned his vehicle around, he observed Denson’s vehicle turn north on to North Bruss Road.

Kelly A. Pease
As Deputy Larsen approached the end of North Bruss Road, he saw Denson turn around in a driveway and proceed towards Larsen’s vehicle. Denson stopped approximately 150-feet away from Larsen’s patrol vehicle. Larsen positioned his vehicle, attempting to prevent Denson’s escape, turned on his overhead lights and exited his patrol unit waiting for other patrol units to arrive.

Within seconds of exiting his vehicle, Larsen heard what he believed to be the muffled sound of a gunshot coming from the area of Denson’s vehicle. Two more Kootenai County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived on scene within two minutes to assist Larsen.

Due to the rain, the headlights of Denson’s vehicle and low light conditions, deputies had difficulty seeing into Denson’s vehicle. Using binoculars and better positioning, they were finally able to see that it appeared Denson had shot himself.

Deputies approached the vehicle to confirm and then immediately called for medical personnel, however Denson succumbed to his injuries.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank our community for all of your support during the investigation of this tragic incident.
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