A north Idaho man is charged with second-degree murder after deputies found his 69-year-old grandfather dead inside a home in rural Bonner County and the grandson admitted striking him with a hatchet, authorities said. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Jeremiah John Ross Kiley, was arrested Tuesday in the Samuels area, north of Sandpoint, and booked into the county jail.
Investigators say the case began with a 911 call from Kiley the day after the violence. In interviews, he first told deputies he acted in self-defense during a confrontation late Jan. 5, then said he used the hatchet to “stop his suffering,” according to court documents described by local officials. The victim was identified as Joseph Reyes, 69. The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office said the incident was isolated and there was no broader threat to the public. A judge later set Kiley’s bail at $1 million, and a preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 21.
Deputies were sent to Reyes’ residence on Tuesday after calls to dispatch reported a killing at the property where Kiley and his grandfather lived. When they arrived, they found Reyes dead inside. In an interview room at the sheriff’s office, detectives said Kiley’s demeanor shifted from calm to irritable as he gave different accounts of what happened. He told them his grandfather had been “acting crazy” despite taking medications and that the older man pointed a gun at him during what he described as a “schizophrenic episode” the night before. Kiley said he feared his grandfather could retrieve more firearms hidden in the home. He also admitted striking Reyes in the head with a hatchet, investigators wrote in affidavits.
Officials have not released the number of blows, the make of the hatchet, or the full results of initial forensic exams. The sheriff’s office said evidence technicians documented the scene inside the home and collected items for lab testing. Detectives are also reviewing phone records and any digital messages around the time of the killing. Autopsy findings will help establish the sequence and cause of death, and whether the account of an earlier threat with a firearm aligns with physical evidence. Authorities did not describe where inside the home the confrontation started or whether any weapons other than the hatchet were recovered during the first search.
The home sits in the Samuels area, a rural stretch of Bonner County about 15 miles north of Sandpoint with small clusters of houses set back from U.S. Highway 95. Neighbors said patrol cars and crime-scene vans came and went through the afternoon as investigators taped off the driveway. The sheriff’s office said deputies canvassed for exterior cameras along the road and asked nearby residents if they heard anything the prior night. A tow truck later hauled away a vehicle for processing as detectives continued interviews at the courthouse annex in Sandpoint.
Public statements by local officials frame the case as a family tragedy with open questions. Court records indicate Kiley called 911 a day after the confrontation, a gap that detectives will examine as they reconstruct the timeline. Investigators also flagged his changing statements: an initial claim of self-defense followed by a comment that he struck Reyes to end his suffering. Prosecutors typically evaluate such accounts against physical evidence, recorded calls, and any history of domestic disputes or mental health concerns at the address. As of Thursday, authorities had not released prior call logs for the home.
Second-degree murder under Idaho law generally covers intentional killings without premeditation or deaths caused by acts “imminently dangerous to others” showing a depraved mind. If convicted, the offense carries a possible life sentence, though outcomes turn on facts proved in court and any defenses raised by counsel. In early stages, judges often consider bond conditions based on alleged risk to the community and the strength of the state’s case. In Kiley’s appearance, the court set bail at $1 million and imposed standard restrictions. Jail records indicated he remained in custody pending the next hearing.
The sheriff’s office said this was an isolated incident and did not prompt broader alerts. Nevertheless, the killing drew attention across the Idaho Panhandle as news outlets posted booking photos and brief summaries from affidavits. Regional stations reported the same core details: the victim’s name and age, the family relationship, the alleged hatchet strike, and the suspect’s statement about “stopping his suffering.” Reporters noted that investigators are working to confirm whether a firearm was brandished before the deadly blow and where any guns were stored in the home.
Relatives of Reyes did not issue a public statement through the sheriff’s office by Thursday afternoon. Court documents did not list an attorney for Kiley at the time of the initial appearance, and the public defender’s office did not immediately respond to inquiries about representation. Funeral arrangements for Reyes had not been announced. Community members in and around Sandpoint described the news as unsettling given the quiet setting and the family connection involved.
Next steps include the state medical examiner’s autopsy report, additional interviews, and the Jan. 21 preliminary hearing date, when a magistrate will decide whether there is probable cause to send the case to district court. Prosecutors may also file amended charging documents after lab results return, though officials did not indicate that other charges are expected. The sheriff’s office said further updates would come after the autopsy and before the scheduled hearing.
As of Thursday evening, Kiley remained in the Bonner County Jail on the second-degree murder charge. Investigators said they are continuing to process evidence gathered at the Samuels residence and to map the timeline between the alleged confrontation on Jan. 5 and the calls to 911 the next day.
Author note: Last updated January 9, 2026.