BLACKFOOT, ID - An 85-year-old woman is being hailed a hero after pulling out a handgun she had hidden under her pillow to save herself from a brutal attack during a home invasion.
According to ABC News, the woman, identified as Christine Jenneiahn, was handcuffed to a chair, pistol whipped and threatened multiple times by the suspect, 39-year-old Derek Condon, before turning the tables and fatally shooting him. Jenneiahn was shot multiple times after discharging two shots with her .357 Magnum, as the intruder returned fire and hit her in her abdomen, leg, arm, and chest. The woman survived, but Condon died from his gunshot wounds.
The elderly woman told investigators that she made the sound decision to use deadly force in order to protect her and her disabled son, saying it was "now or never," as she feared Condon was going to kill her. She told police that she was awakened around 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13th by a stranger wearing a military jacket and a black ski mask. The suspect was standing over her bed pointing a gun and flashlight at her.
Bingham County, Idaho, Prosecuting Attorney Ryan Jolley said that investigators suspect that Condon entered the home by breaking a window and then proceeded to hit Jenneiahn in the head with a pistol while she was still laying in her bed. The woman told investigators that Condon took her into her living room, handcuffed her to a wooden chair and "asked her where the valuables were kept in her home, and placed a pistol against her head."
According to the police report, the woman told Condon that there were two safes downstairs but that she did not have much. Condon went downstairs and during that time, Jenneiahn was left along in the living room. She told investigators that she dragger the chair she was handcuffed to back to her bedroom to retrieve the gun she kept under her pillow.
She told investigators that she dragged herself and the chair back to the living room and hid the revolver between the armrest and the cushion of a couch she was seated next to. At that point, she waited to see what Condon was going to do next.
According to the report, when he returned, he allegedly became very angry with Jenneiahn for not telling him that her son was in the house and threatened to kill her. That is when she lunged for her gun that was hidden in the couch and opened fire on the suspect, hitting him twice. Condon emptied his 9mm pistol when he returned fire.
Condon collapsed in the kitchen and died while Jenneiahn remained on the floor of her living room bleeding and handcuffed to the chair for 10 hours until her son came upstairs and handed her the phone to call 911.
Citing Idaho's "stand your ground law," Jolley said that the woman was justified in using any means necessary to defend herself, adding, "Any reasonable person would believe it necessary to defend themselves or their disabled child under such circumstances. In his decision, he wrote, "This case presents an easy analysis of self-defense and justifiable homicide. It also presents one of the most heroic acts of self-preservation I have heard of."
Jenneiahn has been cleared of any wrongdoing. Jolley added, "That Christine survived this encounter is truly incredible. Her grit, determination, and will to live appear to be what saved her that night."
Investigation of the incident revealed there was a broken window in the back of the home and a screwdriver was found next to the door where Condon came inside. Additionally, Condon's car was found near Jenniahn's house with one set of footprints leading from the car to in that direction. When investigators searched Condon's body, they found a lock pick set, his car key, a handcuff key and a bad that had the items he stole.
According to Jolley, if Condon had survived the incident, he would have been charged with felony attempted murder, kidnapping, burglary, aggravated battery and grand theft. In a post on social media, the Bingham County Sheriff's Office wrote, "We wish to make it clear that our intention is not to defame the name of the suspect involved or make a tragedy for his family worse. We are simply releasing the facts of the case and explaining that there was a victim involved that displayed heroism, fortitude, and a will to live that we'd be remiss not to share."
According to ABC News, the woman, identified as Christine Jenneiahn, was handcuffed to a chair, pistol whipped and threatened multiple times by the suspect, 39-year-old Derek Condon, before turning the tables and fatally shooting him. Jenneiahn was shot multiple times after discharging two shots with her .357 Magnum, as the intruder returned fire and hit her in her abdomen, leg, arm, and chest. The woman survived, but Condon died from his gunshot wounds.
The elderly woman told investigators that she made the sound decision to use deadly force in order to protect her and her disabled son, saying it was "now or never," as she feared Condon was going to kill her. She told police that she was awakened around 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, March 13th by a stranger wearing a military jacket and a black ski mask. The suspect was standing over her bed pointing a gun and flashlight at her.
Bingham County, Idaho, Prosecuting Attorney Ryan Jolley said that investigators suspect that Condon entered the home by breaking a window and then proceeded to hit Jenneiahn in the head with a pistol while she was still laying in her bed. The woman told investigators that Condon took her into her living room, handcuffed her to a wooden chair and "asked her where the valuables were kept in her home, and placed a pistol against her head."
According to the police report, the woman told Condon that there were two safes downstairs but that she did not have much. Condon went downstairs and during that time, Jenneiahn was left along in the living room. She told investigators that she dragger the chair she was handcuffed to back to her bedroom to retrieve the gun she kept under her pillow.
She told investigators that she dragged herself and the chair back to the living room and hid the revolver between the armrest and the cushion of a couch she was seated next to. At that point, she waited to see what Condon was going to do next.
According to the report, when he returned, he allegedly became very angry with Jenneiahn for not telling him that her son was in the house and threatened to kill her. That is when she lunged for her gun that was hidden in the couch and opened fire on the suspect, hitting him twice. Condon emptied his 9mm pistol when he returned fire.
Condon collapsed in the kitchen and died while Jenneiahn remained on the floor of her living room bleeding and handcuffed to the chair for 10 hours until her son came upstairs and handed her the phone to call 911.
Citing Idaho's "stand your ground law," Jolley said that the woman was justified in using any means necessary to defend herself, adding, "Any reasonable person would believe it necessary to defend themselves or their disabled child under such circumstances. In his decision, he wrote, "This case presents an easy analysis of self-defense and justifiable homicide. It also presents one of the most heroic acts of self-preservation I have heard of."
Jenneiahn has been cleared of any wrongdoing. Jolley added, "That Christine survived this encounter is truly incredible. Her grit, determination, and will to live appear to be what saved her that night."
Investigation of the incident revealed there was a broken window in the back of the home and a screwdriver was found next to the door where Condon came inside. Additionally, Condon's car was found near Jenniahn's house with one set of footprints leading from the car to in that direction. When investigators searched Condon's body, they found a lock pick set, his car key, a handcuff key and a bad that had the items he stole.
According to Jolley, if Condon had survived the incident, he would have been charged with felony attempted murder, kidnapping, burglary, aggravated battery and grand theft. In a post on social media, the Bingham County Sheriff's Office wrote, "We wish to make it clear that our intention is not to defame the name of the suspect involved or make a tragedy for his family worse. We are simply releasing the facts of the case and explaining that there was a victim involved that displayed heroism, fortitude, and a will to live that we'd be remiss not to share."
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Comments
2024-04-16T02:20-0500 | Comment by: harriett
Someone forgot to proof read this article.
2024-04-16T09:21-0500 | Comment by: Laurence
Good for her! She should receive a reward for eliminating a rat from society. In Communist California they would probably put her in prison for defending herself. (Article evidently proofread by a computer).