Battered Women, Battered Children, Custody Abuse: Bitter Custody Battle in Murder of Bellingham Mother

29.7.11

Bitter Custody Battle in Murder of Bellingham Mother

Police in Bellingham now believe the shot that killed a young mother was fired by the woman's estranged husband and not his girlfriend, who left a voicemail murder confession for police before attempting to kill herself.

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BELLINGHAM, Washington -- Police in Bellingham now believe the shot that killed a young mother was fired by the woman's estranged husband and not his girlfriend, who left a voicemail murder confession for police before attempting to kill herself.
Kara Buchanan and Keayn Dunya are charged in the shooting death of Kirston Dunya two weeks ago at Kriston Dunya's Bellingham apartment. KIRO 7 heard Tuesday, for the first time, tapes of Buchanan's voicemail confession. Despite the confession, court documents indicate it was Keayn Dunya who fired the shot.
"Hello, Detective Leighton; this is Kara Buchanan, Keayn Dunya's girlfriend," the minute-and-a-half-long message begins. "I wanted to let you know that it was me. I thought I could do it. I thought I could keep my family, but the guilt got to me."

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Buchanan said she wore latex gloves when she shot Kriston Dunya. She said she did it for Keayn Dunna, she said, who was locked in a bitter custody battle with Kriston Dunya for the couple's 7-year-old son.
"I burned the evidence behind my camper," she says in the message.
She's clear and coherent, but her voice starts to break as her confession turns to a suicide message to her family.
"Jesus Christ; hopefully by the time you read this I'll be dead," she says in the message. "Do me a favor and tell my children that they're old enough to get along without me, whereas Kai isn't old enough to get along without his dad."
Officers heard the message and later found Buchanan on a Freeland beach. She had slit her wrists and was bleeding so badly she needed surgery.
Police believe Buchanan's confession may have been an attempt to cover up Keayn Dunya's involvement and keep him out of trouble. Police said that prior to Buchanan's confession they were "nowhere close to having an arrest."
Buchanan was treated at a hospital and taken to jail last week. Keayn Dunya was arrested a day later. Both are charged with murder.