KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — Week two of Dan Howard’s murder trial is underway in Kootenai County. The former Idaho State Police trooper is accused of murdering his wife Kendy and staging it to look like a suicide.
Dr. Barclay Stewart, a specialist in trauma and burns out of Seattle, was first to take the stand Monday morning in a trial that is expected to last three weeks.
Dr. Stewart testified that he reviewed information in this case, including photographs of a burn on the inside of Kendy Howard’s right arm. Photographs of that burn were shown to the jury. Earlier testimony revealed Kendy had approximately 30 bruises or injuries all over her body.
“It appears to be a second degree injury,” he testified to the state of the burn on Kendy’s arm.
He also testified that the burn appeared to be deep or a “fresh” burn based on his review of the photographs.
“Most likely it was an injury before death,” he said.
As to how long before death, he said while it’s hard to tell hours-wise, it “certainly wasn’t days before.” He also told the jury this level of burn would likely not have been the result of a hot bath.
Kendy Howard’s body was found in a bathtub in the couple’s Athol home in February of 2021. She had a gunshot wound. The defense told the jury this was a suicide, stating Kendy’s DNA was found on the gun, Dan’s was not. Prosecutors believe the suicide scene was staged, and that Dan attacked and chocked his wife.
Dr. Stewart testified the injury on the inside of Kendy’s arm could be a sign of a “defensive wound.” He testified he reviewed photos from the crime scene, including an image of a kettle, without a top, on the stove.
“It’s a potential source (of her injury),” he said.
He further testified that it would be painful and unusual for someone with that level of burn to take a bubble bath due to the discomfort and likely desire to keep the wound clean.
Jared Lynn was also called to the stand Monday morning. He told the jury he worked with Kendy at Kootenai Health.
“She was fun to work with, she made the day fun,” he testified. “She’d come in the door ready to work.”
He’s testified to the way they would handle any potential injuries on the job. He stated they would take anything like that very seriously. He did not testify to any known injuries on Kendy Howard.
Lynn told the jury he had talked to Kendy about her job satisfaction. He said she appeared to like her job but was looking to transfer to another location the hospital had just acquired. Previous testimony also showed Kendy was in the process of purchasing a home near one of those new locations in Kamiah.
“She was excited … she needed a change and you could feel it,” he testified.
Fellow co-worker Caroline Farnsworth was next. At the time of her death, Farnsworth was a supervisor for Kendy Howard.
“She was always really happy, bubbly, had a good sense of humor,” she said.
Farnsworth also testified about her conversations with Kendy about her upcoming move to Kamiah and hopeful job transfer.
“She was really excited about it, excited for the change,” she said.
