Police have arrested a 52-year-old man in connection with the death of his mother at her home in Coeur d’Alene last fall. Authorities took him into custody as he was preparing to board a flight to China.
The suspect, Neil Stratton, is expected to face charges including first-degree murder, burglary, and destruction of evidence, according to a statement released Friday by the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.
His mother, 77-year-old Susan Stratton, was discovered in September at a residence in the 1100 block of East Skyline Drive, near Cherry Hill Park. She had suffered severe injuries and significant blood loss. At the time, investigators described the incident as a targeted and isolated attack.
Police said Stratton became a suspect early in the investigation. They later tracked him to California, where he was reportedly preparing to leave the country. He was arrested Thursday near Los Angeles by the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to his Facebook profile, Stratton lives in Spirit Lake and has traveled to China multiple times over the past two years.
In recent social media activity, Stratton appeared to be attempting to sell property. In March, he posted in an Idaho land listings group offering two 10-acre parcels for a combined price of $800,000. Nine days ago, he posted in a “California to Idaho” group seeking assistance to acquire five acres of land with monthly payments of $1,000.
Interim Police Chief Dave Hagar stated that no further details will be released at this time in order to protect the integrity of the legal process.
Coeur d’Alene Mayor Dan Gookin also praised the department’s efforts, saying he supports their work and commends their commitment to thoroughly investigating crimes and pursuing justice for the community.
