Man who burned house, died inside is identified

COEUR d'ALENE - The Kootenai County Sheriff's Department on Wednesday identified the man who set his residence on fire and then took his own life inside the burning structure.

John H. Parkin, 45, died Friday inside his modular home at 2525 Searchlight Lane, in the Wolf Lodge Creek area of Kootenai County, according to a news release from the department. The home was a total loss.

Emergency personnel were called to the home about 2:15 p.m. Friday after a neighbor reported hearing a gunshot come from the residence and then noticed smoke coming from the rear of the residence.

When deputies arrived ammunition inside the home was exploding due to the fire.

When firefighters from Kootenai Fire and Rescue were able to enter the residence they found Parkin's body badly burned.

Deputies had been at the home around 12:30 p.m. Friday to serve Parkin with a temporary protection order that also ordered him to vacate the residence until an upcoming court hearing.

Parkin left the residence under the direction of the deputies. Shortly afterward, deputies received a call reporting he had returned to the residence.