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A Murder! A chiropractor murdered in our little town!

 Hello all, all four of you readers according to the more available stats page the number that reads most of these posts. 

It's OK, I've not been "in it" as much as I wish I could be sometimes. I've tried over the years, I just can't keep it going with frequent or even regular posts! So, one gets what one gets!

So, murder it is! I was waiting for some information about this case and I got it a couple of weeks ago. Everything I'll be writing about is public but we had some info before it was 'out', but it isn't worth getting in hot water for it. 

Yes, a Bonners Ferry murder mystery. I really believe this case will be on something like "Dateline" or the subject of a true-crime podcast at some point next year as it involves two local chiropractors!

Last spring, around March 12th, just before the COVID-19 lockdown started, there was a murder. 

The victim, chiropractor, Dr. Brian Drake, was actually in his office and talking to his wife on his cell phone at the end of his day when he was shot through a window. A single shot from a 357 handgun hit and quickly killed him as the bullet hit at an angle and cut a major artery as he was talking to her. 

It WAS the area news for several weeks. Was it a "hit?" Was it a jealous husband?  Who would want this doctor dead?

The murder happened in the evening of that date but the entire city police worked the crime scene all night long as, at the time, no one had any clue why this person had been the victim. Months of investigations later, by the city police, the county sheriff's office, and the state police, and an arrest was made. 

Another chiropractor, Dr. Daniel Moore, was arrested for firing the fatal shot. 

Dr. Moore had been interviewed very early on due to some crime proximity issues, his truck was seen and recorded driving and then parking and left in the area of the crime, and for no real reason. There was also some security camera footage in which Dr. Moore was later identified around the area of and near the time of the crime, and some alibi inconsistencies of his story trying to explain things.

Years ago I was told a police saying that turns out is really a truism. Crimes are often caused by one of two people, the needy, or the greedy. 

In this case, it was apparently a murder of greed. 

Dr. Moore was the main area chiropractor. He has been in business for years and had many regular customers, Stacy and I have even been his customers a few years ago when we both hurt our backs moving a too heavy couch. He was very nice and very efficient and he helped us quite a lot get back to normal. After this incident, we found out he was also very, very well off. He was part owner or full owner of several businesses in this area of Idaho and into western Montana as well. He was way more than just a chiropractor! But he owned his business here too. 

Dr. Brian Drake had been a part-time area chiropractor for the last couple of years, as he ran several offices from his home in Post Falls, Idaho (down near Coeur'd Alene). With local offices, he would stop and see people in several cities each week on his way north to Bonners Ferry. I never met the guy but we had heard about him as he was well-liked by the people that saw him. He was a younger guy, a work out "buff" kind of guy, which was why there were rumors of a jealous husband in his murder. But no, it came down to the fact that Dr. Drake had been starting to take too many of Dr. Moore's client base. Even though Moore initially denied that reasoning, it did come out that as far as plausible reasons for this murder, that was the only one to make sense. 

Since his arrest in August, Dr. Moore had been held in jail for a psych evaluation, since pretty much everyone thought he'd take off or off himself.  As well as a high-cost bail due to the crime. He was just released earlier this week after posting five-hundred thousand dollars, cash bail, and finding a company that would GPS monitor him as he has movement restrictions in his Court orders. 

We were contacted by our court about monitoring him, as that's one of the things I do at my job, GPS monitoring, and no, it isn't much like you see in TV shows, that's TV! Not reality! 

But Stacy said no, our department didn't want that responsibility, and then we found out the GPS company we work with for our devices wouldn't allow him to be monitored as they don't have a high enough insurance bond for murder cases. His attorney ultimately found some company though so he was able to bond out. 

So, he's out and doing whatever, with his next court date in early November. We'll have to see if he makes it and where his trial will go! 

Covid-19 update in our little county of about nine thousand people. 65 cases as of yesterday, A school employee as well as several high-school students have been the highest visibility cases locally. There has been one 'official death' in this county, a couple of months ago a 70-year old man died from it. This morning, 2-deaths were reported in Bonner County, the next county south of ours. Both in their 80s. As of yesterday, since the number for today aren't available yet. 

50,610 for the state of Idaho

710 new cases as of yesterday

and 517 deaths so far. 

Locally, you can't get a test unless you have a Doctor referral. No walk-in testing yet and the local school keep talking about going back to 'red' and all being homeschooled again. The speculation is the school board doesn't want to have a war with parents who have been fighting about keeping the school going, no-matter-what! 

I'm sure things will change as the cases keep rising all around and here too. Montana is growing rapidly and there were recent stories that hospitals are getting hit hard as most of the state is sparsely populated and can't handle the increase. 

Until next time! Tad

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