Sandpoint man charged in father's death

SANDPOINT — A Sandpoint man was arrested Sunday on a second-degree murder charge after his elderly father was found deceased at his home in the city.

Evan John Owens, 26, was charged in connection with the death of his father John Owens, 80, who was discovered by police after family members were unable to reach the man.

The younger Owens is currently in custody at the Bonner County Jail on a $5 million bond.

Family members of John Owens asked police to perform a welfare check at his home after growing concerned because they had not heard from him following an earlier call in which John Owens reportedly told family members he was going to a hotel for the weekend.

Police said John Owens told family members that his son, Evan, was getting moody and that he did not feel safe staying in the home.

Sandpoint Police officers responded Sunday to John Owens’ residence on Browning Way, and once on-site, they called the man’s cell phone and heard it ringing inside. They gained entrance to the home and discovered the man deceased in an upstairs bedroom.

The cause of death appeared to be suspicious, Sandpoint officials said in a press release.

Sandpoint Police then requested assistance locating Evan Owens for a welfare check. Idaho State Police stopped him for a motor vehicle violation, and he agreed to be interviewed at ISP headquarters in Coeur d’Alene. Evan Owens was cooperative and spoke with detectives about the events that took place, officials said.

Detectives from the Sandpoint and Coeur d’Alene police departments processed the crime scene.

Detectives applied for and were granted a warrant for Evan Owens for second-degree murder, and he was booked into Kootenai County Jail and then transferred to Bonner County.

The investigation is still underway, and an autopsy was scheduled for late Monday to confirm the cause of death.

Evan Owens pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge in 2019, according to iCourt, the state’s court repository.

The Bonner County Daily Bee reported at the time that a 76-year-old alleged that Evan Ownens put him in a chokehold and took his keys and wallet.