Background: The Bonner County Sheriff”s Office in Sandpoint, Idaho (Google Maps). Inset: Jeremiah Kiley (Bonner County Sheriff’s Office).
Jeremiah Kiley, 29, is detained at Bonner County Jail under a $1 million bond, facing charges of second-degree murder. Authorities from the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office reported responding to the residence of 69-year-old Joseph Reyes on Tuesday, where they discovered him deceased. As per court documents accessed by the Bonner County Daily Bee, a local newspaper, it was Kiley who dialed 911, describing his grandfather’s behavior as erratic and “crazy.”
According to Kiley, the previous night saw Reyes experiencing a “schizophrenic episode,” during which he allegedly brandished a firearm at his grandson. Kiley expressed concerns that Reyes might access other hidden guns within their shared home. In his conversation with the police, Kiley confessed to striking his grandfather with a hatchet.
Initially presenting his actions as self-defense, Kiley also allegedly conveyed to officers that the assault was intended to alleviate Reyes’s suffering. It remains unclear why Kiley delayed reporting the event until the following day.
During police questioning, Kiley’s behavior reportedly oscillated between calmness and aggression. The investigation is ongoing, but the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office has assured the public that the situation appears to be an isolated incident, posing no additional threat.
Police said that while they questioned Kiley, his demeanor ranged from calm to aggressive. The case is still being investigated, but the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office stated that the alleged incident was isolated and there was no further danger to the public.
Kiley was arrested without incident and booked into the Bonner County Jail on a charge of second-degree murder. A judge later set his bail at $1 million, and he remains in custody. His next court date is scheduled for Jan. 21.
