Man sentenced in death plot, rape

A Silver Valley man who raped a teenage relative and plotted with his mother to have her killed so she couldn’t testify against him was sentenced to life in prison Thursday.

William Caldwell, of Pinehurst, who pleaded guilty to rape and conspiracy to commit murder, told a Kootenai County judge that he accepted a plea deal only so his mother, 57-year-old Myra Caldwell, wouldn’t face so stiff a sentence.

“Accusations have been made that are not true,” William Caldwell insisted, describing himself as a man who would do anything for his family.

But 1st District Judge John P. Luster said the 41-year-old was a career criminal who needed to be behind bars for the protection of society.

He will serve 13 years before he is considered for parole.

Myra Caldwell, convicted of solicitation to commit murder, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with the judge retaining jurisdiction in the case for six months. At that time, she’ll return to a Kootenai County courtroom, and the judge could release her on probation or order her to serve the remainder of her term.

The woman, whose strawberry-blond hair has grown out to reveal silvery roots during her seven-month jail stay, cried at times during the sentencing hearing.

She said she would never have committed the crimes she’s accused of and professed her love for the children in her family.

Detectives twisted her words, she said.

“They took the words I said, and they turned them around,” Myra Caldwell told the judge.

The judge said the dynamics in the Caldwell family were “about as offensive as anything can be,” and chastised both defendants for refusing to accept responsibility for the crimes.

The mother of the victim said many in the Caldwell family do not believe the teen’s testimony that she was raped by William Caldwell.

“She’s been called a liar, she’s been treated as if she was nothing,” the woman said.

Luster addressed the numerous relatives in the courtroom and the girl herself at one point in the sentencing.

“Some people do believe her,” he said.

“I can sit here and tell you as a matter of law, the court believes your statement.”

The teenage victim briefly testified, saying she couldn’t understand how one day she was baking cookies and cakes with Myra Caldwell and “next, she’s saying she wouldn’t care if I’m dead.”