Jealous husband murdered wife then claimed she shot herself in the head

Kendy Howard was preparing to leave her husband and start a new life, but for Daniel Howard, divorce was not an option

- GAIL SHORTLAND

As the tense divorce proceedings between Daniel Howard and his wife Kendy played out, one was harbouring resentment and the other was positive about the future.

Kendy, 48, had felt controlled and threatened during her marriage to the former Idaho State Police trooper and she was looking forward to carving out a different life for herself. It was early 2021 and the estranged couple had been married for nearly three decades. Kendy had a daughter, Brooke Wilkins, from a previous relationship, a son, Wyatt, with Howard, and she had a grandchild. She worked at a medical centre and was known for being outgoing and fun. But behind her smile, she had been struggling in the marriage.

Howard had had regular angry outbursts over the years and Kendy was desperate to get out of her marriage, but she didn’t know how to go about leaving. Instead, in 2013, she had an affair with a friend of Howard’s.

When Howard found out, he threatened the man, poured syrup in his vehicle and shot at his house. He reportedly said he understood “why people kill their old ladies”, and ended up serving a few months in prison. He was also given community service and was ordered to pay restitution.

Howard and Kendy remained together in their home in Athol, Idaho, but after a few years, as they drifted further apart, Kendy started secretly dating a man from her past.

Howard found out about the relationship during the divorce proceedings. He also learned Kendy was planning to get half of their assets, which totalled around $2 million.

Kendy was nervous about Howard’s response to the divorce. She told loved ones that one time she’d woken up in the middle of the night to find him standing over her with gloves on.