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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