Small Town Murder Podcast

Episode: Killer Adjustment – Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Hosts: James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman
Date: October 17, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode takes listeners on a wild, detailed journey through Bonners Ferry, Idaho—a remote small town with stunning mountain vistas and a dark secret: its first murder in over half a century. James and Jimmie use their trademark mix of deep research and irreverent humor to unravel the shocking 2020 shooting of local chiropractor Dr. Brian Drake. As the suspects dwindle, attention turns to another chiropractor, Dr. Daniel Moore, and a tangled investigation ensues, including an awkward confession, legal wrangling, and the town’s fractured trust.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. A Portrait of Bonners Ferry

• Location: Far northern Idaho, in the “extreme panhandle,” bordering Canada (04:39).
• Demographics: Population 2,495 (05:22); median income and housing costs wildly out of sync.
• Mottos and Reviews: Local motto “Idaho’s!” and residents’ reviews ranged from glowing praise to brutal takedowns ("I can't think of a positive adjective to describe this godforsaken hellhole." – Anonymous, 08:44).

2. Setting the Stage: Chiropractors and Community

• Victim: Dr. Brian Drake, a gentle, music-loving chiropractor, beloved husband and father of four, who relocated to Bonners Ferry for a simpler life (11:25).
• His Practice: Opened office in 2014; business thrived, adding two more locations (12:59).
• Suspect: Dr. Daniel Moore, 63, long-established chiropractor with an office just 500 feet from Drake’s (13:58). Known as the "entrenched guy" in town: “23 years, cracking backs and knaves and shit.” (13:57).

3. The Crime: A Killing with No Precedent

• Event: March 12, 2020, 7:30pm. Two 911 calls – one from a neighbor reporting a hooded figure, another from Jennifer Drake, who was on the phone with her husband as he was shot through his office window (14:47).
• Scene: Police found Drake dead, shot through the glass and closed blinds. He was sitting and talking to his wife when killed (16:17).
• Community Impact: First murder in Bonners Ferry since the 1960s (22:46).

4. The Investigation: Red Herrings and Surveillance

• Initial Suspect: A visiting man of “Indian or Middle Eastern descent,” spotted by a neighbor (18:32). Massive surveillance pull, but he’s cleared—wrong place, wrong time (22:19).
• Gas Leak Incident: Days after the murder, Dr. Moore nearly dies from a gas leak in his own office. He claims he didn’t smell the gas due to anosmia (loss of smell). Fire chief suspects intentional tampering (23:52).

5. Attention Turns to Dr. Moore

• Alibi Trouble: Dr. Moore says he was with coroner/buddy Mike Mellet. Surveillance puts his truck near the crime scene, circumnavigating the block (28:40).
• Odd Excuse: Moore claims to be in the alley during the crucial time… to defecate:
  “No, I went there to defecate. [...] You have to shit all the time. All the time.” (39:44)
• Surveillance Debacle: Police piece together video from various sources; timestamps don’t match but the physical trail keeps circling back to Moore’s truck (35:04).

6. The Interrogation and Confession

• Interrogation Highlights:
  • Moore’s defense frequently relies on needing to take a crap.
  • Tense exchanges over requesting a lawyer: “I think I need to talk to an attorney.” (45:00, 48:59).
  • Detective dangles possibility of lesser charge if Moore “explains” himself:
    “This is your opportunity to pick which one it is.” (44:16)
• The Confession:
  • After 1hr 43min, Moore admits:
    “I did not go there to murder him.” (64:22)
    • Claims he only wanted to scare Drake away, didn’t see him when he fired.
• Weapon Disposal: Guided police to the river but the gun was never found (66:21).
• Mental Health: Later claims he staged his own gas leak for suicide; had no criminal record (66:37).

7. Legal Fallout: Suppression, Dismissal, and Civil Suit

• Defense Attacks: Moore’s lawyer argues the confession is inadmissible—delayed Miranda, repeated lawyer requests ignored, head injury before confession, and inconsistent surveillance evidence (67:54).
• Prosecution’s Dilemma: With the confession suppressed and no physical evidence, the court dismisses the case (71:41).
• Civil Suit: Brian Drake’s widow (Jennifer) sues Moore. Moore countersues, lobs scurrilous accusations. Court eventually finds Moore civilly liable:
  • Damages: $4.9 million compensatory, $10 million punitive; total $15.4 million (75:52).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Bonners Ferry's charm and woes:

• “I can't think of a positive adjective to describe this godforsaken hellhole. The government is run by inbred hacks. [...] Smart people run from here and then give up.”
  — Podcast reading a 1-star town review (08:44)

On the key suspect’s “alibi”:

• “No, I went there to defecate.”
  — Dr. Daniel Moore explaining his presence in the alley (39:44)
• “You have to shit all the time. All the time.”
  — James, laughing (40:20)

On the bizarre logic of the crime:

• “If you’re going to go murder someone, what are the odds that someone breaks into your truck and steals shit while you’re murdering someone?”
  — James (29:38)

On the interrogation:

• “I think I need to talk to an attorney.”
  — Moore (multiple times, eg: 45:00, 48:59)
• “If you don’t explain to us your intent, then we infer your intent based on what you see. We—what we see, which is first degree murder.”
  — Detective Van Leuven (44:17)
• “I want you to admit the truth, but, geez, Dan, you’re killing me, Dan. Okay buddy.”
  — Assistant Chief Ryan (51:33)

On civil justice:
“The court awarded $4,881,218 in compensatory damages, including a financial losses, $500,000 for the emotional impact on Drake's family, and $10 million in punitive damages. $15,381,218 is the ruling on him.”
— James summarizing the civil verdict (75:52)

Important Timestamps

• Introduction, town setup: 04:33
• Chiropractor background: 11:25
• The murder and first investigation: 14:46 – 22:46
• Gas leak in Dr. Moore's office: 23:10
• Surveillance and shifting suspicion onto Moore: 28:40 – 35:04
• Moore’s “defecation” excuse and interrogation: 39:44 – 48:59
• Confession: 64:22
• Charges dismissed: 71:41
• Civil suit results: 75:52

Final Thoughts & Tone

James and Jimmie expertly blend dark humor with empathy, revealing the surreal quirks of small-town life, the failings of a protracted investigation, and the unsettling reality of a murder case without a criminal conviction but a damning civil verdict. The episode is a ride—a “ten pounds of murder in a two-pound bag”—full of laugh-out-loud moments (often about poop), incredulity, and the pain of an unresolved but publicly grieved loss.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode is a must for fans of true crime with a comedic edge—and for anyone interested in the ways justice can go awry, and how small-town relationships just might be a stranger web than anyone imagines.