Delia D'Ambra

A few minutes later, though, he heard what sounded like loud voices coming from the trapping compound.

So he headed back to see what was up.

When he arrived, he saw Claude and two other men, 50-year-old William Bill Pogue and 34-year-old Wilson Conley Elms, who I read in the coverage most often went by his middle name, Conley.

Both of the men were game wardens.

Jim saw that the trio of guys were arguing, and Claude seemed to be growing more and more frustrated by the warden's presence.

Bill and Conley pointed out that it wasn't bobcat or deer hunting season, yet it was clear that Claude had already killed several of those animals.

The trapper couldn't come up with a good reason for his alleged poaching activities, and the longer the discussion went on, the more agitated Claude became.

according to an article by Ellen Marks and Mark Crane for the Idaho Statesman, and later coverage for that same publication by Gary Strauss.

At one point, one of the wardens took a handgun from the men and unloaded it, but then gave it back, apparently under the impression that was the only firearm they had on them.

Bill brought up the fact that he and his colleague should probably write Claude a citation for the bobcat pelt violation.

That remark seemed to bristle Claude, and after that, Conley went into the trapper's tent to search for more illegal harvests.

Before the two gay wardens knew it, Claude had pulled out a .357 handgun that apparently had been hidden on his person and shot them.

According to that episode of FBI Files I mentioned a minute ago, after shooting the men with his .357, Claude armed himself with a .22 rifle and shot both game wardens in the head, reportedly to make sure they were dead.

Now, immediately after this attack, Jim was shocked by what had happened.

He didn't have a clear idea of what had prompted the blitz executions.

However, in the aftermath of the murders, Claude told his friend that Bill Pogue had drawn his firearm first, basically suggesting that what had happened was an act of self-defense.

And Jim believed him for the time being because considering what had just happened, Jim figured it was in his best interest to comply with his friend.

He then helped Claude dispose of the two game wardens' bodies.

Together, the men loaded Bill Pogue's body onto a mule and moved it into Jim's truck, which was parked just on the other side of a nearby ridge.

After that, the men brainstormed about what to do with Conley's body.