Authorities were investigating a suicide in Star. Now they’ve opened a homicide case
What had been an inquiry into an apparent suicide in Star has become a homicide investigation.
Dakota T. Honeycutt, 19, of Nampa, was charged with knowingly or intentionally assisting in a suicide on Monday, according to court records. At an arraignment hearing in Ada County on Tuesday, however, deputy prosecutor Heather Reilly told the court that the charge was being amended to a “homicide count.”
“There has been additional information provided and learned by law enforcement indicating that the defendant’s initial statements were not accurate,” Reilly said.
It is unclear what specific crime Honeycutt will be charged with. Possible counts include first- or second-degree murder and voluntary or involuntary manslaughter.
In an email, a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office said “the language in the amended charge is being evaluated and drafted.”
In court, Reilly said the new information “literally came to light, as I’m told, today.”
A second felony count for alleged evidence destruction will not be changed, Reilly said.
On Sunday morning, the body of Kevin Hunt, 48, was found at Hunter’s Creek Sports Park in Star. Hunt was found alone and his vehicle was not at the park, according to a blog post from the Sheriff’s Office.
After an investigation, authorities determined that Honeycutt was living with Hunt at an apartment in Nampa and may have been using Hunt’s vehicle.
Honeycutt was interviewed by police on Sunday night after Nampa Police assisted in locating him, and he was taken into custody.
“Honeycutt told investigators he drove Hunt to Hunter’s Creek Park on Saturday night, watched Hunt shoot himself around 9 p.m., left the body there, took the gun, and disposed of it before going back to the Nampa apartment Saturday night,” the blog post said.
At a briefing on Monday afternoon, Star Police Chief Zachary Hessing said a dive team found the gun — which is believed to have been Hunt’s — near the Star Bridge in the Boise River on Monday morning. Police are not aware of Hunt or Honeycutt having ties to Star.
At Tuesday’s arraignment, Magistrate Judge Michael Lojek set bail for Honeycutt at $50,000.
Lojek said court filings indicated Honeycutt has ties to Middleton. Reilly said Honeycutt has a “fairly recent” driver’s license from Tennessee and an address there dated to June 2020. Prosecutors are not aware of previous criminal convictions.
When asked by the judge how he was feeling, Honeycutt said “my emotional condition is just really, really scared.”
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 10.
