Idaho Man Dies After Brawl With Roommate Victim Didn’t Know His Injuries Were Life-Threatening

Mark Jones’ landlord didn’t realize the 46-year-old man was bleeding to death as they sat talking for two hours Saturday night.

“He acted so calm and casual about it,” said Louie Box, assistant manager of the State Motel.

“There were no cuts, no bruises.”

After a brawl with his roommate and hours of refusing medical attention, Jones died at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Kootenai Medical Center.

Coeur d’Alene police arrested his roommate, James Moen, on suspicion of murder.

Jones and Moen had moved into the State Motel, 1314 Sherman, four days ago, Box said. They said they intended to stay for a week.

Neighbors said they heard Jones and Moen battling in their room about 3 or 4 p.m. Saturday.

“They were throwing things around and breaking bottles,” said Robert Plue, who was in a neighboring room. “They were making so much ruckus.”

“They were hollering back and forth at each other,” said Box, who was working Saturday.

He said Jones came out of the room holding his rib cage. “He said (Moen) had hit him in the chest with a shotgun and broke some ribs, but he said he was all right.”

Coeur d’Alene police arrived at the hotel, but Jones refused to press charges. They took a report and left.

“To my knowledge, there was no reason to believe by his (Jones’) visible appearance that there was any reason to take further action at the time,” said Sgt. Dean McMillen.

“He said he just wanted to drop it, forget about it,” Box said.

Jones and Box sat together talking for two hours. Box said Jones told him the two had argued over a game on television - possibly basketball.

“They’d had two or three beers and he said when James (Moen) had two or three beers he went kind of crazy sometimes,” Box said.

Although Jones didn’t appear to be injured, Box was worried because Jones seemed to feel worse as time went on.

But “he said he didn’t have the money to go to the hospital and didn’t want to have more bills,” Box said.

Moen had stayed in the motel room even though Box had ordered the roommate to leave. Box said he called Coeur d’Alene police about 7 or 8 p.m. to have them remove Moen.

By that time Jones had collapsed on the landlord’s bathroom floor and officers called an ambulance, Box said.

“The preliminary reports indicate there was extensive internal bleeding,” said Dr. Robert West, Kootenai County coroner.

An autopsy will be performed today, West said.