Mary Modispacher
Mary Mendoza Modispacher, 57, of Malad, died at her home October 23, 1996. Funeral arrangements are pending and will be announced in a future edition of the Idaho State Journal.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Benson Horsley Funeral Home in Malad.
DOUBLE HOMICIDE AND APPARENT SUICIDE SHOCKS MALAD RESIDENTS
Tragedy struck in Malad last week with discovery of a double homicide followed by an apparent suicide.
Friday afternoon, October 25, Marvin Werth, 71, and Mary Modispacher, 57, were found shot to death in the Werth home at 12 N. 150 E. Later on, the prime double murder suspect, David Leslie Moore, was found dead in Honeyville, UT, the victim of what appeared to be a self inflicted gunshot wound in the stomach.
According to Oneida Sheriff Bill Neal, Moore shot Modispatcher in the head with a 22 caliber rifle sometime between 1:00 and 3:00 a.m. on October 23, after an argument. Modispacher was in bed in her basement bedroom. Moore then went upstairs and shot Werth also in bed.
Sources said Modispacher and Moore had argued late Tuesday night in a Malad bar where they were drinking, and the argument apparently carried over after they returned home.
“As near as we can tell,” Sheriff Neal said, “Moore then took a couple of guns from the home and fled in Werth’s car.”
Sometime Wednesday morning or afternoon he stopped at the home of his half brother, Hubert Fransen, in east Honeyville, the sheriff said. There, he confessed to Mrs. Fransen what he had done, but threatened to kill himself in front of her children if she didn’t give him 48 hours before she reported it.
Sheriff Neal said the Fransens drove to Malad Friday to check out Moore’s story, and stopping at the Werth home were unable to get any response. They then drove to the Oneida Sheriff’s office where they related events to Chief Deputy Bryan Bird.
Bird and Deputy/Dispatcher Sharon hess, accompanied by Oneida Prosecutor David Evans, obtained a key from Werth’s daughter who lives in Malad, and entered upon the murder scene.
The Box Elder County Sheriff was alerted to pick up Moore, Neal said. But sometime between 2 and 4 p.m., the suspect apparently shot himself with a 12 guage shotgun while sitting in Werth’s car, parked at the Fransen residence in Honeysell.
Investigation of the incident was turned over to the Idaho Bureau of investigation, Sheriff Neal said. Box Elder County Chief Deputy, Lynn Yates said his county’s investigation is being coordinated with the local sheriff and FBI. Moore’s body was transferred to the Utah State medical examiner’s department.
Authorities report that Moore had a prior criminal record of assault and battery in Idaho and theft in Utah. Sheriff Neal said the suspect, who lived with Werth in Malad, seemed to be subject to side mood swings.
