SANDPOINT — The trial for a Naples woman accused of child sex abuse got underway Monday, Feb. 9, as the jury was seated and opening arguments were presented.

Katherine Cowell, 51, faces two counts of lewd conduct with a minor stemming from allegations of sexual abuse between 2012 and 2016.  

In opening arguments, Bonner County Prosecutor Louis Marshall, representing the state of Idaho, argued that Cowell, along with her husband Richard, had manipulated and abused the victims for years.  

“This is a story about secrets. But sometimes, these secrets do not stay buried forever. And, as in this case, it took some time, over a decade; these secrets did not stay buried. They didn’t stay buried because of the gentleman that you’re soon going to hear from,” Marshall said.  

Marshall outlined the first alleged victim’s history, noting that the abuse was alleged to have begun in his early teen years and escalated over time. He further shared that a second victim had experienced similar trauma, primarily involving Richard Cowell, who has already been sentenced to 22 years in prison on related charges. 

Both victims, according to Marshall, didn’t have reliable parents to talk about the alleged abuse, because they already knew and supported the incidents.   

"They’re two different stories, but with similar situations,” Marshall said.  

Defense attorney Catherine Enright, a deputy public defender with the Bonner County Public Defender’s Office, opted to give an opening statement after Marshall, a practice not required and that allows the defense to outline its theory of the case. 

In asking the jurors to find Cowell innocent, Enright suggested jurors pay close attention to the details presented during testimony and how those details can impact how someone observes and experiences a situation.  

“Most details are going to be important because they can impact how somebody observes what they say they observe and how they experience what they say they experience. So, it’s important that you pay attention to those details,” Enright said.  

She further asked jurors to listen to motivations in the case, before sharing that the Cowell family had staged an “intervention” for Richard and Katherine after learning that the couple were swingers — the act of engaging in consensual sexual activities with other couples or individuals. 

Enright shared that members of the Cowell family were considered to have "very Christian beliefs and conservative beliefs,” and were highly opposed to the couple’s lifestyle.  

“So, I ask that you pay attention to all of the details, all of what’s going on, and that you look at the bigger picture,” Enright said. “It’s very important that you think about motivation in this case. Motivations to tell the truth, or motivations to potentially tell a lie.” 

The case has drawn public attention since Katherine Cowell and her husband, Richard, were arrested in February 2025 in Boundary County. Several trial continuances occurred throughout the year-long timeframe due to significant discovery and evidence, pushing the original trial date back by approximately eight months.  

Four hours after the trial’s 9 a.m. start time, 12 jurors were selected and sworn in to determine whether the state presents enough evidence to prove Cowell guilty of the two counts of lewd conduct. 

The jury is responsible for determining if Cowell is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If the jury is not convinced beyond a reasonable doubt, it must return a not guilty verdict.  

The trial is still underway and expected to continue through Friday, Feb. 13.