Woman, Boyfriend Slain At Her Home -- Husband Shoots Self; His Condition Critical

PORT ORCHARD - He had a drinking problem, said William Chaussee, who lived next door to him for nearly seven years.

His drinking was why he separated from his wife, Karen Sue Dowell, in February, Chaussee said. And his drinking wasn't getting better.

In recent months, according to Chaussee, Karen Dowell had grown less and less optimistic that her husband could control his drinking and that the marriage could be put back together.

Yesterday, police say, Daniel Dowell of Kitsap County drove to his wife's house, where he shot and killed her and a 24-year-old male friend, John P. Hunter of Silverdale, before going into the back yard and turning the gun on himself. Last night Dowell was reported in critical condition at Harborview Medical Center with a gunshot wound in the head.

Three tense days

The early-morning shooting ended three days of tension that police say began Wednesday afternoon when Dowell drove a car through the fence at the family's home in the 1200 block of Garrison Avenue.

Police say he broke into the residence and assaulted Hunter, who was Karen Dowell's boyfriend. He "beat up the boyfriend and was arrested, booked and released," said Sgt. David Loflin.

Police said Karen Dowell's 16-year-old son was asleep in the living room early yesterday when he heard noises and then his mother screaming in another room.

At 1:19 a.m., the boy called 911, reporting someone was breaking into his house. While he was still on the phone, he heard several shots and then recognized his stepfather running from the house, police said.

Once outside, Daniel Dowell shot himself in the head, police said.

The boy was not harmed and Dowell's daughter was not at home when the shootings occurred, police said.

Dowell, 35, died from at least one gunshot, said Ted Zink, Kitsap County coroner. Hunter, 24, died of multiple gunshot wounds.

Quiet until last week

The Dowells had lived in the house for seven years, said neighbor Chaussee, who would talk to Karen Dowell several times during the week over the backyard fence.

She worked as a receptionist for a doctor in Bremerton, Chaussee said. Her husband worked for a Bremerton garbage-disposal company.

Even after the couple separated, Chaussee remembered seeing the husband at the house. Three weeks ago, he stopped by to pick up some cars he was working on.

Police said Karen Dowell had not obtained any type of restraining order against her husband and that up until the incident earlier last week, the house had been "pretty quiet."

Chaussee said Karen Dowell never spoke to him about being afraid of her husband, only that, in recent weeks, she had grown less optimistic that he could control his drinking.

"They were good neighbors," said Chaussee, "raising the kids to be good citizens."

Chaussee described Daniel Dowell like this: a very caring father who built a walk-in dollhouse for his daughter and erected a swimming pool. He was a man who took care of his family.

Seattle Times reporter Linda Keene contributed to this report.