Escapee’s Family Lives In Fear Rathdrum Couple Afraid Convict Has Revenge In Mind

Even the smallest peep in the night sends Donald Zeigler lurching from his restless slumber, gun in hand.

Zeigler’s wife, Barbara, refuses to leave the couple’s daughters alone, not even while she goes to the back yard to take out the garbage.

Both worry Kallahan Zeigler will try to sneak back into their Rathdrum, Idaho, home, seeking revenge for sending him to prison nearly four years ago.

“I’m scared,” Barbara Zeigler said of her 23-year-old stepson. “There’s a real possibility this kid will come after us.”

Kallahan Zeigler is one of five Idaho inmates who cut their way out of a Louisiana prison last week. He was the only one who remained at large Thursday.

Donald and Barbara Zeigler played a large role in his 1993 child sex-abuse conviction. Kallahan Zeigler was serving five to 15 years in prison when he escaped.

“He blames us for being in prison, so he’s got revenge” as a motivation, Donald Zeigler said of his son.

The Zeiglers’ fears shift to anger when they talk about being forced to surf the evening news broadcasts and skim newspapers looking for updates on Kallahan Zeigler’s whereabouts.

They also talk frequently with Kallahan’s 22-year-old sister, who informed them of her brother’s escape, hoping to find out where he may be hiding. Kallahan Zeigler has called his mother, who lives in Snohomish, Wash., twice since his escape, Donald Zeigler said.

State prison and federal authorities have offered little information and no protection, they said.

“Nobody knew nothing and nobody could help us,” Barbara Zeigler said.

The little information Barbara Zeigler gleaned from a mug shot that Louisiana officials sent to the Rathdrum Police Department earlier this week was of little comfort.

“On the bottom of the mug shot it says, ‘Threatened to kill family in North Idaho,”’ Barbara Zeigler said.

Joni Benham, Kallahan Zeigler’s mother, said her son is not capable of killing his family. She said she has not talked to him since his escape and is worried about his safety.

Benham said her son’s frustration with his public defender and an appeal that he filed shortly after being sent to prison may have led to his decision to escape.

“I’m scared that he will get hurt,” Benham said. “He’s a man, I understand that he’s a man, but he’s still my son. I love him. I will always love him.”

Rathdrum Police Chief Bob Moore has stepped up patrols in the Zeigler’s neighborhood, but said he doesn’t know what else he can do with limited resources.

Mark Carnopis, Idaho Department of Corrections spokesman, said Ada County rapist David George was the only escapee who had a victim notification request in his file. Prison officials notified George’s victim of his escape and recapture, Carnopis said.

He said the corrections department is considering a plan to notify the local prosecutor’s office in the event of future escapes. They, in turn, would be responsible for notifying the victims.

“We don’t keep a record of who the victims are unless there’s a victim notification,” Carnopis said.

Donald Zeigler blames federal authorities for not taking his son’s threats more seriously. His family should have been told about Kallahan Zeigler’s threats, Donald Zeigler said.

“I know the kid pretty well and I don’t take his threats lightly,” Donald Zeigler said. “I take them very, very seriously. If he’s threatened to come up here and kill his family, I believe him.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: Escapee description Kallahan Zeigler is 6 feet 2 inches, tall and lanky. He has shoulder length, dishwater-blond hair.