Murder- suicide victims ID’d

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

Christina K. Mandriguez, 38, and Jeffrey A. Hayes, 54, each died of a single gunshot wound to the forehead in what investigators say was a murder/suicide, Post Falls police Chief Scot Haug said.

Police were not ready on Friday to say for certain who shot whom.

The couple’s landlord found Mandriguez’s body around 5:15 p.m. and called police. Investigators found the woman 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. Police are not looking for any other suspects, he said.

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

Their bodies were badly decomposed. Police have not yet checked cell phone records to see the last call made from the phone Mandriguez was holding. 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.

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 10 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.”