Police said the Coeur d’Alene man was found in California after a seven-month investigation into his mother’s death.
COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — A 52-year-old Coeur d’Alene man accused of killing his 77-year-old mother last fall was arrested Friday near Los Angeles as he prepared to leave for China, police said.
Authorities said Neil F. Stratton is charged with first-degree murder, burglary and felony destruction of evidence in the death of Susan M. Stratton. The arrest closed a key phase of a case that began in September 2025, when officers found the older woman badly hurt inside her East Skyline Drive home. Investigators said Stratton had been identified early in the case, but he had left North Idaho before detectives secured an arrest warrant.
Police said officers were sent to the 1100 block of East Skyline Drive on Sept. 18, 2025, after a report of an unconscious elderly woman. At the house, officers found Susan Stratton with severe injuries and a large amount of blood, according to investigators. She was taken to Kootenai Health, where she remained in critical condition and never regained consciousness. Authorities later moved her to hospice care, saying doctors had exhausted available treatment. Her death was eventually ruled a homicide, and police described the assault at the time as a deliberate and isolated attack. Over the next several months, detectives worked with the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office, forensic specialists and other law enforcement partners while trying to build the case and track the suspect’s movements.
On April 16, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Neil Stratton, police said. By then, investigators had learned he was in California and planning to board a flight to China. U.S. marshals arrested him at about 8 a.m. Friday near Los Angeles, according to Coeur d’Alene police. He remained in custody while awaiting extradition back to Idaho. Interim Police Chief Dave Hagar said the department was withholding additional details to protect the court process. Hagar said detectives worked closely with prosecutors to make sure the case was ready before the warrant was sought. The charges filed against Stratton are all felonies, and police have not released a probable cause affidavit that would lay out the evidence in full. No Idaho court appearance had been announced publicly by Sunday.
The case has drawn close attention in Coeur d’Alene because the victim was attacked in her own home and because the investigation stretched over seven months before the arrest. Early in the inquiry, police asked the public for help and said a person of interest had been identified. Authorities also described the attack route they were trying to trace, asking for surveillance footage from Athol into Coeur d’Alene. Investigators said they were trying to learn more about an adult seen riding a bicycle along a route that included Clagstone Road, U.S. 95, Pope Road, Government Way and the East Hazel Avenue area. Police also searched for an iPhone they believed may have been discarded somewhere along that path. Those details suggested the case was built piece by piece through video, digital evidence and public tips instead of a quick arrest.
Officials praised the coordination that led to the arrest. Coeur d’Alene Mayor Dan Gookin said he remained proud of the police department and its work to pursue justice for the community. Brett Bunn, the U.S. marshal for the District of Idaho, said the joint effort stopped a dangerous fugitive before he could leave the country. That point carried special weight because once a suspect enters a foreign country, returning the person to face charges can become far more difficult. The arrest also shifted the story from a long local homicide investigation to an interstate case involving fugitive location and extradition. For now, the focus turns to transporting Stratton back to North Idaho and moving the criminal case into open court, where prosecutors are expected to outline the evidence behind the charges.
As of Sunday, Stratton was still being held pending extradition to Coeur d’Alene. The next major step is his return to Idaho for an initial court appearance on the murder, burglary and evidence destruction charges.
Author note: Last updated April 19, 2026.