Posted on 09/15/2006 10:10:33 AM PDT by kiriath_jearim
The estranged husband of a woman who strangled an intruder with her bare hands last week has been accused of hiring the intruder as part of a murder plot, Portland police said.
Michael James Kuhnhausen, 58, was charged Thursday with criminal conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder.
Detectives said he helped disarm the security alarm at his wife's home on Sept. 6 and let Edward Haffey in. Haffey, armed with a claw hammer, then waited for Susan Kuhnhausen to arrive home from her nursing job.
Haffey struck her several times in the head, but Kuhnhausen managed to take the hammer away, according to a court affidavit obtained by The Oregonian newspaper. Kuhnhausen lost her grip on the weapon, and wrestled with Haffey. The intruder bit Kuhnhausen several times, and she bit back.
Finally, the 51-year-old woman was able to get on top of Haffey, and place him in a choke hold. She eventually choked the life out of him.
Portland police found the 59-year-old Haffey dead on the hallway floor.
Susan Kuhnhausen told homicide detectives that she believed her husband was involved, saying he was the only other person who knew the security code to the house alarm and there was no sign of forced entry. She also knew her husband had stopped by the house earlier that day because he left a note that said he was going to the beach.
Inside a backpack Haffey left at the scene was a day planner with "Call Mike, Get letter," scribbled on the week of Sept. 4, the affidavit said. Michael Kuhnhausen's cell phone number was jotted on the inside of a folder.
Detectives checked Haffey's background, discovering his lengthy prison terms for conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, and convictions for robbery and burglary. They also learned that he had worked as a custodian for the Fantasy Adult Video stores. Detectives talked to the company and found out that Michael Kuhnhausen was the supervisor for custodians, and had hired Haffey.
Kuhnhausen, who had no criminal record in Oregon, told detectives he had nothing to do with the attack against his wife. He was booked into jail early Thursday, and his next court date is Sept. 21.
Original story: Nurse strangled intruder with bare hands
Susan Kuhnhausen, who has been out of town attending a national Emergency Nurses Association conference, left the following message on her home voice mail: "I'm not able to answer all the calls that I've received. I'm being comforted by your concern and your support. I want you to know that our lives are all at risk for random acts, but more likely random acts of love will come your way than random acts of violence."
Wow, this is unbelievable! This poor woman has been through a hellish ordeal and now this. I hope the authorities wil nail her husband and convict him.
The hit man had a day planner?
When this story broke a few days ago, we all commented on what a tough bird this gal is. I didn't realize how tough until I read that she is attending a conference just a few days after killing the perp with her bare hands. No grief counselor, no time on the couch, no heavy meds.
"Get this trash out of my house. I got a plane to catch."
shades of Dial M for Murder with Ray Milland.
Personally think that a nice double barrel shotgun with both barrels loaded would have worked better although cleanup would have taken a while.
Wow, I'm glad it did..Some ladies here kept a claw hammer under their bed for protection. Their murderer claw hammered them to death with it, then raped one of them...
Then, he asked a relative for a ride to the bus station, and went South of the Border..yes, he was here illegally.
I think those poor ladies should have had a gun.
. . . at least that's the law around here. They can get him for felony murder (of the hit man), attempted murder (of his wife), and solicitation of murder. And party to the crime of burglary . . .
I think he's looking at a long stretch.
carolyn
That's a nice touch.
That's an interesting thread running through recent "dumb criminal" reports. Two weeks or so ago, a sports radio announcer/"talk radio personality" in New Orleans allegedly disguised himself before shooting his estranged wife to death in public.
Tipped off by a local gunshop and (my favorite part) another local shopkeeper who sold the guy a false moustache, police searched the suspect's FEMA trailer and found a *handwritten list*, from "Buy moustache" to "Get rid of gun". I guess he forgot to include "Destroy this list".
What a woman!
And 'they' say Oregon is boring!
Wow, this is like some Independent film noire, with M. Emmett Walsh in the role of the dumb husband.
Anyone seen Blood Simple?
F/u story on ER nurse strangling intruder Ping
Nurses often marry to 'help' or 'fix' someone who needs it. That's part of why they are nurses -- they want to help. That is compounded by patients (I don't know if he was one) who fall in love with their nurse.
Too stupid to remember what to do if it wasn't written down? And maybe he figured that no one would think that someone like him would have a day planner so it was safe to have one and write it all down.
No one says these cretins are bright.
Great movie and the remake with Michael Douglas and Gwyneth Paltrow was pretty good too. What was that one called?
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