Airman charged in wife’s death

MOUNTAIN HOME, Idaho – Mountain Home police have charged an active-duty airman with second-degree murder in the death of his newlywed wife.

Police say Jon Valen is suspected of stabbing his wife to death and trying to burn her body.

Police responded to a house fire just before 9 p.m. Saturday, where they found the body of 37-year-old Jodi Valen.

Authorities say an autopsy report confirmed she died from multiple stab wounds. The two had been married for about two months.

Police Chief Tom Berry said Jon Valen, 34, stabbed his wife to death and set her on fire. Valen was taken into custody shortly after officers responded to the fire. He was at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise being treated for smoke inhalation on Monday.

Valen also faces charges of first-degree arson and two counts of animal cruelty. Police say they found two dogs inside the couple’s home that had died from multiple stab wounds.

Valen has been stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base since 2002, and was a weapons loader with the 366th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, base officials say.