Police identify bodies found in Post Falls home

Police on Friday identified two people who were found dead inside a Post Falls home Thursday evening.

Christina K. Mandriguez, 38, and Jeffrey A. Hayes, 52, each died of a single gunshot wound to the forehead in a murder/suicide, said Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug.

Police said they are not ready to say who the shooter was.

The couple’s landlord found Mandriguez’s body around 5:15 p.m. and called police. Investigators found her slumped against the front door, with a cell phone in her hand, Haug said. Hayes was found a few feet away in a hallway. A Glock handgun was between the two bodies.

There was no sign of an intruder or forced entry to the rental home at 509 E. 11th St., Haug said.

“We are not looking for any other suspects,” he said. “The evidence right now shows us it all happened inside the house. There is no indication there was anyone else involved.”

Mandriguez and Hayes were known to be boyfriend and girlfriend, and a neighbor said they had lived there several years.

Police have not yet checked cell phone records to see the last call made from the phone Mandriguez was holding. Haug said it will be about a week before they obtain phone records.

Haug said neighbors last saw the couple eight to 10 days ago and the bodies were badly decomposed.

“Based on when the neighbors last saw them and the smell that’s inside the house, I’d venture to guess they’ve been in there a while,” he said.

The residents’ landlord had come to post an eviction notice at the home about a week ago. When he did not hear from the tenants, he returned to the house and tried to enter but saw a body blocking the door and called police.

Haug said police had been called to the home for domestic disputes twice, in July 2008 and again this past March. There were no arrests stemming from those calls, although the female resident was cited for marijuana and paraphernalia possession charges after the 2008 incident, he said.

In 2005, Hayes fatally shot a man who allegedly attempted to rob the North Idaho cigarette

shop where Hayes worked. The man, Joseph Kalani Hatchie, was wearing a ski mask when he pointed a gun at Hayes. Hayes reportedly emptied his gun, striking Hatchie ten times. Hatchie’s gun was an unloaded Pellet gun, which closely resembles a Walther P-9 semi-automatic.

“What happened was a tragedy,” said Hayes’ friend, Stacy Allen, of the 2005 incident. “It came down to a matter of life and death, and Jeff had to make a decision that no one wishes upon anyone.”