The Magic Valley has seen its share of domestic abuse crimes in recent years.
By the time the police get involved the abuse has already been committed and the problem just continues ... until someone takes action first. Police say that domestic abuse tends to be a steady crime. Over the years the laws change in handling these types of crimes – but abuse tends to remain prevalent in the community. Staff Sergeant John Wilson says he has seen an increase in these crimes in recent years. "The statutes have changed giving victims and officers a little less lead way in deciding whether or not to make an arrest." Domestic violence typically consists of assault or battery – or sometimes homicide as in the case of cliff James Keipper shooting and killing his domestic partner Jeremy Lee Thomas earlier this year. An incident that evokes the effects of domestic violence was the Magana murder suicide south of Wendell in 2006.
The sheriff's department found the bodies of Eva Magana and her husband Bulmaro Magana.
The department says the two had a history of domestic violence problems and we're going through a divorce. Two children were left without their parents. But Wilson wants to enforce the fact that the police need the support and commitment from the community to stop domestic abuse in its tracks before the police ever receive that 911 call.