Cd'A woman arrested in murder case

UPDATE (3:56 p.m.): Judith Carpenter, 57, of Coeur d’Alene, charged in the murder of former Hope city clerk Shirley Ramey, was also arrested for a road-rage incident in Montana on April 5, 2017, about two hours before Ramey’s death was reported in Bonner County.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office seized the firearm used in the road-rage incident, a Glock 9mm pistol, and placed it into evidence. Less than two years after Carpenter’s arrest in Montana, at the request the ATF, a shell casing from this firearm was sent in to be examined and be placed into the NIBIN database. After examination, it was confirmed as a match to the casing collected at the Hope crime scene.

Also recovered by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office was a Savage Model 99 rifle that was stolen from the Ramey residence on the day of the shooting.

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A Coeur d’Alene woman has been charged in the murder of a former public official.

Judith Carpenter, 57, was charged today in the April 5, 2017 murder of former Hope, Idaho clerk Shirley Ramey. Carpenter appeared in court today and is being held in the Bonner County Jail on a $500,000 bond.

Ramey was shot and killed in her home. According to the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office, the two-year investigation finally led to a suspect: Carpenter, who was arrested today, with assistance from the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office, Coeur d’Alene Police Department and the joint Emergency Response Team.

The Press will have a complete story Saturday in print and digital editions.