Court records tell story of shooting
DAVID COLE/[email protected] | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 10 years, 7 months AGO
COEUR d'ALENE - Sgt. Greg Moore's body camera was running when he was shot early Tuesday morning in an encounter with a man walking through a usually quiet residential neighborhood.
According to an affidavit signed by Idaho State Police Det. Michael A. Van Leuven, a review of the video footage showed Moore speaking with and then being shot by the suspect in his death, Jonathan D. Renfro.
Renfro, 26, of Rathdrum, is being held by authorities on $2 million bond.
Renfro is represented by Kootenai County Chief Public Defender John Adams, who declined to comment Wednesday. The public defender's office denied requests for jail-house interviews of Renfro.
Renfro was charged with felony first-degree attempted murder on Tuesday, but that charge might change. The original charge was filed before Moore died later Tuesday.
Renfro also faces charges of felony grand theft, unlawful possession of a firearm because he has a criminal record that includes multiple felony convictions, and taking an officer's gun.
Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh also declined comment Wednesday. The next court hearing in the case is May 15.
The shooting took place on West Wilbur Avenue at the intersection with West Timberlake Loop just after Moore ran Renfro's personal information through the radio and asked that Renfro step toward Moore's patrol vehicle.
Moore had contacted Renfro at approximately 1:20 a.m. Tuesday as Renfro was walking near West Wilbur Avenue, police reports indicate.
After being shot, Moore fell to the ground, causing his body camera to point skyward.
"A short time later Renfro's face comes back into the frame," Van Leuven's affidavit said. "Renfro is seen using a flashlight while searching Sgt. Moore's person."
A few seconds later, the voices of a man and woman can be heard in the background, and then a car door can be heard shutting and a vehicle being driven away.
Investigators interviewed Cinda Allen, who lives on the 2800 block of West Wilbur Avenue and called 911 at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday after hearing a "loud, pop-type noise from the street outside her house," Van Leuven wrote.
Allen looked outside and saw Moore's patrol vehicle drive away from the shooting scene and saw Moore lying on the pavement.
Allen's companion, Chris Werts, told Van Leuven he stepped outside after hearing the loud noise. He said he saw a man standing over Moore, then Werts yelled at him.
At that point, the man got into the patrol vehicle and sped away, Werts told authorities.
Renfro's driver's license was found in Moore's possession at Kootenai Health, where the officer was taken in critical condition, Van Leuven's affidavit said. He died at 5:50 p.m. Tuesday.
Shortly after hearing that a Coeur d'Alene Police Department patrol car had been stolen, a Post Falls Police Department officer saw the Coeur d'Alene car traveling approximately 90 mph westbound on Seltice Way near McGuire Road. The officer pursued the stolen car.
Minutes later, the vehicle was found abandoned near Pointe Parkway and Beck Road near the state line. A K-9 unit found Renfro hiding under a tractor-trailer rig near the Walmart Supercenter.
Bullets for a 9 mm pistol were found in Renfro's pocket, and Moore's pistol was found near Renfro, Van Leuven wrote.
A 9 mm pistol was found in a nearby field along with Moore's flashlight and Renfro's eye glasses.
Renfro repeatedly admitted shooting Moore during a recorded interview with police, Van Leuven's affidavit said.
"Renfro said he shot Sgt. Moore because (Renfro) had a gun in his pocket and knew Sgt. Moore was going to find it," the document said.
He said he shot Moore with a 9 mm Glock pistol he had hidden in his right coat pocket.
Renfro further admitted stealing Moore's officer-issued firearm from its holster after shooting Moore, and admitted taking a pistol magazine and flashlight from Moore.
Renfro told investigators he stole Moore's patrol car to escape, and abandoned it in Post Falls because he believed law enforcement was tracking it using on-board GPS.
Renfro admitted to using hydrocodone and methamphetamine the day before the shooting.
"I observed Renfro's demeanor swing from lethargic to states of being more alert throughout the interview," Van Leuven wrote.
Public defender Adams filed a motion asking the court to order the parties, their attorneys, investigators, law enforcement personnel and potential witnesses not to discuss details about the case with the media.
"This motion is based on the Sixth Amendment and the defendant's right to a fair trial under both the Idaho and U.S. Constitution," Adams wrote.
The case involves matters that invoke passions and inflammatory reactions, he wrote.
"Law enforcement officers investigating the above-entitled matter have already commented on the character, credibility, reputation and criminal record of Jonathan Renfro as well as expressed opinions on his guilt to the media at televised press conferences," Adams wrote.
He added that "extrajudicial statements have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused."
ARTICLES BY DAVID COLE/[email protected]
Another busy year for EPA cleanup projects
Feds spending $35M on Silver Valley work this summer
COEUR d'ALENE - Federal officials plan to spend $35 million this spring and summer in the Silver Valley doing cleanup of historic mining waste and pollution.
Wolf-shooter waiting for day in court
Trial of wolf shooter likely to be continued
COEUR d'ALENE - The Kootenai County trial of the man who shot and killed a wolf on Rathdrum Mountain might not go forward as scheduled next week.