Two people of interest in the stabbing of one woman and the death of another in Missoula on Monday have been arrested on unrelated charges in Idaho.
Detective Capt. Michael Colyer of the Missoula Police Department declined to identify the people arrested Tuesday afternoon, saying they were taken into custody by other law enforcement agencies.
Lonette Keehner, 56, of Missoula was identified by the Missoula County coroner earlier Tuesday as the woman found dead in a room at the Super 8 motel on Brooks Street. The manner and cause of her death are pending the completion of an autopsy at the Montana State Crime Lab.
Keehner's body was found shortly after a woman was stabbed at the Missoula Fresh Market at Brooks and Reserve streets, about a block away.
Both people arrested Tuesday remain in custody in Coeur d’Alene, one for violation of pretrial supervision and the other for a conditional release violation.
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They were arrested following a cooperative investigation by the Missoula and Coeur d'Alene police departments, as well as U.S. Marshals Service's violent crime task forces from Montana, Idaho and Washington.
Colyer said no charges related to the stabbing and death have been filed against either person, adding that Missoula police and the Missoula County Attorney’s Office are continuing to investigate the incidents.
No evidence indicates there are additional suspects, Colyer said.
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About 11:45 Monday, police officers responded to the parking lot of the Missoula Fresh Market after a woman who was loading groceries into her vehicle was approached by a man and stabbed repeatedly.
The man then got into the passenger side of a dark-colored Honda and was driven away.
While they were investigating the stabbing, police received a call that Keehner had been found dead in a room at the Super 8.
After they arrived at the motel, officers found a car in the parking lot matching the description of the one from the grocery store attack. Detective Lt. Bob Bouchee said Monday they believe it is the same vehicle.
Keehner’s vehicle – a red 2009 Chevrolet Malibu with Montana license plate 4-46117B – was then discovered to be missing from the motel.
Colyer said Tuesday the Chevrolet was not located when the two people of interest were arrested in Idaho, and law enforcement is still searching for it.
Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to call Detective Jamie Merifield at 552-6291 or Detective Bob Franke at 552-6643.
