Suspect sought identity change

COEUR d’ALENE — Jennifer Narvaiz was trying to disappear a day before she appeared on screen in a Kootenai County courthouse video arraignment.

Narvaiz, 31, told Rathdrum police after her arrest Tuesday at a Rathdrum gas station that she had other people’s belongings — including checkbooks, credit cards and debit cards — because they were part of a garbage bag full of items she bought, “at a house somewhere.”

She was using them to change her identity, she said.

“It isn’t an easy thing to do,” Narvaiz told police. “It’s not like on TV.”

Narvaiz, who is charged in Coeur d’Alene’s First District Court with possession of heroin, two felony counts of having stolen credit cards and a felony forged document charge, is in the Kootenai County jail on a bond of more than $100,000 according to the jail roster. She has been on police radar for a while, because of her connections to multiple thefts around the county.

Narvaiz was arrested along with her husband, David Gibbs, who was helping her evade authorities. Gibbs, 34, is charged with two felonies including harboring a fugitive and having a stolen credit card. His bond is $50,000.

Gibbs told police he wanted to keep his wife in a safe place, and out of trouble, as she tries to kick her heroin habit.

Narvaiz is facing 14 years in prison for a variety of other charges.

The couple was arrested in a silver, 1997 BMW around 6 p.m. at the Korner Stop Exxon in Rathdrum along Highway 41.

Police said they found a roll of aluminum foil used to cook drugs in Narvaiz’s purse, as well as baggies with drug residue, three grams of heroin and paraphernalia.

Gibbs and Narvaiz had in their possession credit and debit cards, and checks from five victims, according to police. The cases of two of the victims were under investigation by Post Falls police.