CBS News
How an unfinished dryer cycle caught the attention of Idaho first responders investigating the suspicious death of a woman in a bathtub
When former Idaho State Trooper Dan Howard called 911 from his home in Athol, Idaho, on the night of Feb. 2, 2021, he was crying so much that it was hard to understand what he was saying.
“My wife … she shot herself,” Dan Howard told the operator. “She’s in the bathtub dead … I go upstairs and she’s dead. She’s dead … she’s gray, she has no pulse, nothing … she’s cold.”
Dan Howard later told authorities that he had been downstairs and heard something hitting the floor upstairs. Dan Howard said that when he went upstairs over an hour later, he found his wife of 26 years, Kendy Howard, in a bathtub filled with water with a gunshot wound to her head.
Kootenai County District Court
The case — starting from the hours after Kendy’s death to a surprising final twist — is investigated by “48 Hours” and correspondent Peter Van Sant in “The Bathtub Murder of Kendy Howard,” airing Saturday, Sept. 28 at 10/9c on CBS and streams on Paramount+.
Kootenai County Sheriff’s Deputy Miranda Thomas was one of the first responders to arrive at the Howards’ home that night. Thomas later described how Dan Howard was “screaming, yelling, asking us for help … sobbing, gagging, just overall kind of freaking out.”
Also on the scene that night was Kootenai County Sheriff’s Detective Jerry Northrup. Northrup confirmed the 911 call was dispatched as a suicide, but recounts that it did not take long for his team to grow suspicious.
Brian Wilkins
“For a woman to shoot herself in the tub, nude, is unusual,” said Northrup. “It doesn’t mean it can’t happen — it just means that it’s unusual.”
There was also other evidence at the scene that stuck out to investigators. According to Northrup, there was broken glass found in the primary bedroom, and Kendy Howard’s clothing thrown on the floor. There were wet towels behind the bathroom door, and when investigators first arrived at the scene, they reported that the water in the tub was still warm to the touch. Thomas noticed a packed duffle bag filled with women’s clothing lay at the bottom of the stairs, and that the shirt Dan Howard was wearing seemed to have fresh deodorant stains.
Kootenai County District Court
One of the more intriguing clues, say investigators, was a load of laundry mid-cycle in the dryer. Thomas took note: “A washer or dryer doesn’t run for very long, 45 minutes, maybe an hour, so when was this washer and dryer started?”
Northrup had the same thought and recorded the time left on the dryer cycle: six minutes. He told Van Sant how he pulled up the cycle running times from the manufacturer’s website and compared the information against the time at which the 911 call was placed.
Northrup determined that the dryer cycle would have started at 10:42 p.m. and the 911 call came in at 10:43 p.m. Meaning, says Northrup, Howard started the laundry cycle about a minute before calling 911. But why?
Investigators continued digging, and after reviewing the evidence with medical and scientific experts, came up with a theory as to how Dan Howard could have killed his wife.
Dan Howard was arrested in April 2023, and in March 2024, went on trial for the murder of his wife.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Gold has proven itself as one of the most resilient assets of the year, displaying remarkable growth so far in 2024. Starting the year at $2,063 per ounce, the price of gold is now sitting over $2,748 per ounce, slightly below its recent record high. As a result, investors who bought gold earlier this year — or even just a few months ago — have already reaped notable returns, a big benefit of this exceptional price trajectory.
Historically, though, gold’s value tends to increase more gradually, offering stability rather than swift gains. Still, most analysts believe the current upward trend could hold, driven by factors such as economic uncertainty, central bank policies and geopolitical tensions. So while gold’s current upward trajectory might be uncommon, it could persist for the near future, making the precious metal an attractive choice for both new and seasoned investors.
But if you’re considering entering the gold market or adjusting your existing precious metals holdings, there are a few strategic moves you can make to help maximize the potential benefits of gold investing in the current environment.
Diversify your portfolio by investing in gold today.
3 smart gold investing moves to make right now
If you’re planning to invest in gold in today’s market, consider making these moves:
Add physical gold to your portfolio
During periods of rising gold prices, acquiring physical gold can be particularly advantageous, despite having a higher entry point than other gold options. That’s because physical gold offers several distinct benefits that become especially valuable in a bullish market. For starters, when you own physical gold, whether in the form of gold bars or coins, you have direct ownership of a tangible asset that isn’t subject to counterparty risk or financial system vulnerabilities.
Physical gold that is purchased during price uptrends also typically benefits from momentum in the market. While past performance doesn’t guarantee future results, strong upward price movement typically attracts more investors, potentially creating additional demand that could further support prices. The tangible nature of physical gold also provides a psychological benefit, as having direct possession of your investment can offer peace of mind during periods of market volatility.
Find out what your gold investing options are here.
Consider your digital gold options
While physical gold has its merits, digital gold investments, particularly gold stocks, often provide amplified returns during gold bull markets. That’s because mining companies typically see their profits increase at a faster rate than the price of gold itself due to their operational leverage. For example, if a mining company’s cost to produce an ounce of gold remains relatively stable while the selling price increases substantially, the company’s profit margins expand significantly.
As a result, gold mining stocks, especially those of well-established companies with strong production profiles and healthy balance sheets, can offer exposure to gold’s price movements while also providing additional benefits like dividend payments. And gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track either the price of gold or baskets of gold mining stocks offer another convenient way to gain exposure to the sector, often with lower transaction costs and greater liquidity than physical gold.
Make sure you’re investing the right amount
Perhaps the most crucial decision in gold investing isn’t just whether to buy, but how much to allocate to this precious metal. Financial advisors typically recommend limiting gold exposure to a maximum of 10% of your overall investment portfolio. This measured approach serves multiple purposes in your investment strategy.
The 10% ceiling allows you to benefit from gold’s potential upside while maintaining sufficient diversification across other asset classes. This balance is essential because, while gold can provide valuable portfolio protection during certain market conditions, it’s important to remember that other assets — like stocks, bonds and alternative investments — typically provide different types of returns and benefits, including regular income through dividends or interest payments.
Maintaining this disciplined allocation helps ensure that your portfolio remains well-balanced and aligned with your long-term financial goals. Even during periods of strong gold performance, resisting the temptation to overweight your portfolio toward gold helps manage risk effectively. Remember, the primary role of gold in most portfolios is to serve as a hedge against uncertainty and inflation, not necessarily as the main driver of returns. That’s just an added bonus.
The bottom line
While gold’s recent price performance has caught many investors’ attention, success in gold investing still requires a thoughtful, measured approach. By considering physical gold ownership, exploring your digital gold options and maintaining appropriate allocation levels, you can potentially benefit from gold’s current strength while managing your overall portfolio risk effectively.