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