Investigators said public tips, surveillance work and coordination with federal agents helped lead to the suspect’s capture in California.
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — A months-long homicide investigation into the death of a 77-year-old woman in Coeur d’Alene ended this week with the arrest of her son, whom police say was caught in California before he could leave the country.
Neil F. Stratton, 52, is accused of killing his mother, Susan M. Stratton, after officers found her gravely injured in bed at her East Skyline Drive home on Sept. 18, 2025. Police said the case developed slowly, with detectives collecting forensic evidence, seeking help from the public and tracking the suspect’s movements before obtaining charges of first-degree murder, burglary and felony destruction of evidence.
According to police, officers were called to the 1100 block of East Skyline Drive for a report of an elderly woman who had been attacked while in bed. They found Susan Stratton suffering from severe, life-threatening injuries, and investigators said there was a significant amount of blood at the scene. She was taken to Kootenai Health and stayed in critical condition without regaining consciousness. Later, she was moved to hospice care after doctors concluded further medical treatment would not change the outcome. By October, police told the public they believed the assault was deliberate and isolated, and they disclosed that a person of interest had already been identified. That early statement signaled that investigators did not view the attack as random, even though no arrest had yet been made.
Over the following months, detectives publicly asked residents for help filling gaps in the timeline. They sought surveillance footage of an adult riding a bicycle from the Athol area into Coeur d’Alene along a route that included Clagstone Road, U.S. 95, Pope Road, Government Way and neighborhoods near East Hazel Avenue. Investigators also searched for an iPhone they believed may have been discarded along that route. Interim Police Chief Dave Hagar later said information from the public was instrumental in bringing the case to its current point. That appeal for tips gave one of the clearest signs that the investigation depended not only on forensic work but also on piecing together movement across several communities in North Idaho. Police have not publicly detailed what evidence came from video, electronics or witness accounts, and many of the most important facts remain sealed from public view while the case moves toward court.
Public records and online posts added another layer of interest as the investigation unfolded. Legal notices published in December stated that Susan Stratton had died and that Neil Stratton had been appointed personal representative of her estate. In February and March, he posted publicly about selling land in Spirit Lake, including two 10-acre lots on Catbird Drive. Reporting tied those parcels to his mother through property records, with one lot conveyed to him in 2021. Other public posts showed him discussing land deals and travel plans, and one account appeared to document repeated trips to China in the last two years. Those records do not establish guilt on their own, but they helped explain why investigators and reporters paid close attention to his finances, travel and whereabouts during the months before the arrest.
The case broke open this week after detectives secured an arrest warrant on April 16. Police said Stratton had left North Idaho and was preparing to travel from California to China. U.S. marshals arrested him near Los Angeles at about 8 a.m. Friday. Brett Bunn, the U.S. marshal for the District of Idaho, said the cooperation among agencies kept the suspect from entering a foreign country, where extradition could have become far more difficult. Coeur d’Alene Mayor Dan Gookin praised the department’s persistence, while Hagar said detectives had worked hard with prosecutors to make sure they had what they needed before moving forward. Stratton is now awaiting extradition to Idaho. Authorities have not announced a public court date, released a detailed probable cause narrative or said when a fuller account of the evidence will become available.
By Sunday, the investigation had entered a new stage, with the suspect in custody and the case headed toward extradition and an initial Idaho court appearance. The next milestone is the public filing and court process that will show how prosecutors say the killing happened.
Author note: Last updated April 19, 2026.