Arraignment was held at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday March 30 for Nathan Penrod, a 28-year-old Soldotna resident who is accused of shooting 29-year-old Zechariah Bowman several times with a handgun at an Aura Lane residence in Soldotna.
In an affidavit filed by troopers Investigator Samuel Webber, court documents state that public safety dispatchers in Soldotna received an abandoned 911 call. A short time later, they received a second call from a 27-year-old female, identified as K.S. who reported her ex-fiancé Penrod shot her boyfriend, who was identified as Bowman. Dispatchers were later contacted by Penrod who reported he had shot his neighbor (Bowman) after being threatened to be killed by Bowman. Penrod stated his ex-fiancé tried to take the gun from him, so he left the residence. He said he was at his father’s residence, and the pistol he used to shoot Bowman was in his truck.
After responding to the scene, troopers found the body near an island in the kitchen area of the house. Bowman appeared deceased because of multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and head. Troopers found a .22 caliber revolver on the floor near Bowman’s body. The revolver was loaded with ammunition and the hammer was cocked but no rounds appeared to have been fired.
The investigator states that, according to the female’s testimony, Bowman owned a .22 caliber black handgun, but didn’t recall seeing any of his firearms the morning of the incident.
Upon serving multiple search warrants, Penrod’s truck contained a Sig Sauer 1911 style .45 ACP semi-automatic with a full metal jacket round in the chamber and three additional rounds in the magazine. An investigation revealed four spent .45 shell casings on the floor near Bowman’s body. An inspection of Bowman’s body revealed three bullet wounds on his upper chest as well as one on his right cheek. The female explained that Bowman rented the Aura Lane house and sub-let a room to her ex-fiancé Penrod.
Penrod was placed under arrest just before midnight on March 29 for 1st degree murder and 3rd degree assault.
Bail has been set at $500,000 cash performance bond, including third party custodian, and $500,000 unsecured appearance bond. In addition, the court denied Penrod’s request to have an attorney appointed to represent him, according to criminal documents.
He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for April 8 at 11:00 a.m.
Supplemental Details from witness affidavit:
Female witness account of events taken in sworn affidavit filed by troopers Investigator Samuel Webber on Wednesday, March 30.
According to her testimony, the morning of the incident, she heard Bowman leave his bedroom to see if Penrod was home. Within seconds of leaving the room, she said Bowman told Penrod to stop, and heard three gunshots go off. Upon leaving the bedroom, she saw Bowman writhing on his left side holding his neck and shoulder. He was on the floor near the end of the bedroom hallway. She spotted blood behind Bowman and saw Penrod holding a handgun. During a brief encounter, he allegedly aimed the weapon at her multiple times. She unsuccessfully tried to pry the gun out of Penrod’s hands, thinking she was going to get shot as he aimed the gun at her.
As she tried to dial 911, Penrod tried to take the phone and threw it across the room. She ran out and tried to barricade him inside unsuccessfully, but when he began pulling on the bedroom door, she ran out of the house screaming for help. According to her testimony, she escaped the residence without clothing herself, or putting on shoes, running through the snow- and ice-covered ground through the woods and tried to contact several neighbors.
The investigator states that, according to the female’s testimony, Bowman owned a .22 caliber black handgun, but didn’t recall seeing any of his firearms the morning of the incident.
Upon serving multiple search warrants, Penrod’s truck contained a Sig Sauer 1911 style .45 ACP semi-automatic with a full metal jacket round in the chamber and three additional rounds in the magazine. An investigation revealed four spent .45 shell casings on the floor near Bowman’s body. An inspection of Bowman’s body revealed three bullet wounds on his upper chest as well as one on his right cheek.
