BOISE -- A murder suspect with Magic Valley ties has been caught in Pocatello after walking away from an eastern Idaho work camp Thursday, officials say.
The Idaho Department of Corrections reported that Kevin Kuintzle, suspected in the September 2023 murder of William Eakin in Jerome, was arrested Saturday night by Pocatello police officers and the Idaho State Police. He was apprehended without incident, according to a IDOC news release.
The IDOC did not give more details about the arrest, but thanked Mendocino County, California, law enforcement agencies for their assistance.
"Before his capture, the IDOC warned people not to approach Kuintzle due to suspected violent crimes and warned he might be armed."
Kuintzle, 33, walked away from St. Anthony Work Camp around 8 p.m. Thursday, officials say. Before his capture, he was seen in Idaho Falls around noon Friday wearing khaki pants, black coat and white sneakers.
"Law officers said he was suspected of attempted carjacking and theft of a firearm."
William Eakin, 84, was found dead in his Jerome home with a gunshot wound to the head.
"Prosecutors say Kuintzle stole items from Eakin's property, which contained hundreds of guns, and attempted to cover up the crime by making a fake 911 call pretending to be Eakin." Erika Brock testified against him as part of a plea agreement.
DNA evidence linked Kuintzle to the scene and investigators found two stolen guns -- one in his car and another he had pawned. The murder weapon was discovered in January on Eakin's back porch. Eakin, a retired Delta Airlines captain and Air Force veteran known locally as "Wild Willy," had numerous hobbies including collecting guns.
Kuintzle has faced multiple charges since his arrest following a police chase near Pocatello. He is scheduled for trial in May for charges including injury to jail property and resisting and battery on officers.