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Humane Society Director Killed In Her Idaho Home, Son Charged With ‘Truly Horrific' Murder
Officials say the husband of Karly Cantrell found her dead in their Middleton, Idaho home not long after evicting her son 26-year-old Levi Davis on account of "poor behavior."
A man is under arrest for the murder of his mother, who was found stabbed in her Idaho home.
Levi Isaac Davis, 26, appeared for his arraignment on Tuesday at a Canyon County courtroom, where he stands accused of killing his mother, Karly Cantrell, according to ABC Boise affiliate KTVB. Investigators believe Davis attacked Cantrell at her Middleton home — about 30 miles west of Boise — before returning to a Nampa halfway house some 10 miles away.
Officials with the Middleton Police Department and the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call on Monday following reports of a deceased person at around 3:30 p.m., according to CBS Boise affiliate KBOI-TV.
Cantrell’s husband, Kevin Kline, found his wife “laying in a pool of blood” in the living room of their East Murtaugh Lake Street home, according to the Idaho Statesman.
Speaking at the arraignment, Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney Sean Jorgensen said the victim sustained multiple stab wounds to her neck and abdomen, per KTVB. Jorgensen called the murder “truly horrific,” noting chunks of hair and skin were missing from Cantrell’s body, as reported by the Statesman.
An official cause of death has yet to be determined.
“This is one of the most horrific patterns I’ve had to read in my time in this role,” Jorgensen stated, per KTVB.
Kline told authorities he left the home on Monday at around 6:30 a.m., leaving his wife with her two sons, ages 15 and 17, according to the Statesman. She was believed to be getting ready for work when her sons left for school at around 7:35 a.m.
The younger of the two sons soon texted his mother about leaving a school project behind, and Cantrell responded by saying she’d drop it off, though she never did. Subsequent texts from the teenage son at around 9:00 a.m. and later that afternoon went unanswered.
Neighbors recalled seeing a car matching that of Cantrell’s son, Levi Davis, leaving the area at around 8:20 that morning, KTVB reported. The vehicle was described by the Statesman as a blue hatchback-type vehicle, which others reported seeing in Cantrell’s driveway shortly before 8:00 a.m., though it was gone within the hour.
An acquaintance of Davis’ also reported Davis showed up at his home at around 9:00 a.m. “with what appeared to be blood on his pants” and that Davis asked to use the man’s shower, according to the probable cause affidavit. The man did not let Davis use the shower and told authorities that Davis claimed he’d stabbed himself.
Later that day, investigators found Davis at his Nampa residence and noted what appeared to be bloody clothes in “plain sight” in the back of his vehicle, according to the affidavit. Following the issuance of a search warrant at the Nampa residence, investigators found more bloody clothes in Davis’ bedroom.
The Statesman reported Davis’ residence was a halfway house.
Investigators observed Davis with a “deep laceration” to his upper right thigh, a scratch on his hand and a burn on his upper arm.
He was arrested on Monday at around 11:15 p.m. and charged with second-degree murder. Charges may be amended to first-degree murder, pending further investigation, according to multiple outlets.
Authorities questioning Davis about his mother’s murder said the suspect “pretended to fall asleep” during his interview, per KTVB.
“Levi showed no emotion when talking about the death,” investigators stated.
Karly Cantrell was the director at the West Valley Humane Society, according to a statement on their Facebook page.
“Karly was the heart and soul of West Valley Humane Society and a fierce advocate for both animals and people in need,” the organization wrote, in part. “She was a kind, compassionate and empathetic friend, mother, wife, grandmother, and daughter. Her impact on the world moves far past the animal shelter and directly into the hearts of the many she took under her wing.”
Cantrell and Kline had recently evicted Davis from their Middleton home on account of “poor behavior,” according to an affidavit reviewed by the Statesman.
Davis’ bond was set at $5 million, and he remains at the Canyon County Jail. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 19.
