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Murder suspected arrested in Washington

by ANNISA KEITH
Staff Writer | October 15, 2021 1:00 AM

SANDPOINT — The suspect in the Tuesday shooting death of an Oldtown man was detained early Thursday morning by Washington authorities.

Eric Loren Benzo, 46, was captured at some point early Thursday morning, according to Bonner County Sheriff’s Office officials. The sheriff’s office announced the capture in a Nixle alert, and asked the public to provide any information they have about the shooting.

A warrant for first-degree murder was issued for Benzo on Wednesday. The only surviving witness to the shooting identified Benzo as the perpetrator who shot Donald Bush on Tuesday morning at the private residence on Silver Birch Lane. Bush died at the scene after law enforcement arrived.

Benzo was arrested and later detained in Washington state on a different felony arrest warrant issued in November 2020.

BCSO is not releasing any other new information at this time, public information officer Capt. Tim Hemphill said.

Benzo has four previous cases in the Idaho criminal database, one for trafficking methamphetamine, possessing a weapon as a convicted felon, and persistent violation from November 2020. Benzo has pleaded not guilty to those charges and is scheduled to appear in front of First District Judge Barbara Buchanan on Oct. 19 for a pre-trial conference. It is unclear if he will still be able to attend.

Nixle is a free digital service that sends alerts via text message from local safety departments about important time-sensitive events happening in the county. To sign up to receive Nixle alerts, text 83864 to 888-777.