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City of Ketchum City Council Meeting MONDAY • SEPTEMBER 21 • 5:30 PM • KETCHUM CITY HALL A third workshop-style discussion with the Ketchum Community Development Corporation, sponsor of the Ketchum Innovation Center, and Blaine County Housing Authority will take place at this meeting. Outside consultants will help facilitate the discussion of the Council’s expectations from the organizations, which receive city funding. Packets will be available at www.ketchumidaho.org. Submit comments to participate@ketchumidaho.org.
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Courtesy photo
Shown here are members of Keith Blankenship’s family just prior to a murder-suicide in 1977 that claimed the life of Keith’s sister, 14-year-old Dana Blankenship. From left are Dana Blankenship, her and Keith’s mother Nancy Sechrest, who is now known as Nancy Monk, and Keith Blankenship.
ACCUSED MURDERER ESCAPED SHOOTING RAMPAGE IN 1977 Blankenship’s Sister Killed in Murder-Suicide at East Magic
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BY TERRY SMITH
51-year-old Blaine County man who currently faces a second-degree murder charge was nearly a shooting victim himself 38 years ago when his stepfather shot his 14-year-old sister to death and killed a bar patron before turning a gun on himself at a bar and restaurant establishment at East Magic Reservoir in south Blaine County. Accused murderer Keith Eric Blankenship, who lived with his family at the establishment, was only 12 the evening of July 15, 1977, when he escaped the murder-suicide rampage by running out of the bar area and hiding under a bed in a nearby room. His mother, Nancy Sechrest, escaped, too, by fleeing out a back door and hiding in a tree. His sister, Dana Blankenship, wasn’t so lucky, being shot three times by her stepfather, 38-yearold Dennis Sechrest. She was pronounced dead Courtesy photo when authorities arrived later that evening. FiftyKeith Blankenship, shown here in 2003, currently faces eight-year-old Fred Klamm, a Paul man who hapa second-degree murder charge in Blaine County. pened to be in the bar at the time, also died from gunshot wounds. Klamm’s wife, 52-year-old Darlene Klamm, “It’s not out of the question,” was also shot and seriously inHailey attorney Keith Roark, jured but survived. “Yes, I was down assigned as public defender to Dennis Sechrest died the folthere at the time. Blankenship, said in an interlowing day at a Boise hospital We discovered a horrific view Sunday regarding the 1977 from a self-inflicted gunshot incident had happened incident. wound to the head. Roark declined to discuss what The Blaine County Sheriff’s there, where three people effect the 1977 incident might Office reported in 1977 that 15 died and a fourth person have on his client’s defense or shots were fired in the bar within was seriously injured.” to further discuss the case, exa period of about a minute from plaining that he didn’t “want to a .22 caliber rifle that Dennis Gene Ramsey jeopardize the case with any of Sechrest brought to the estabBlaine County Sheriff my comments.” lishment. Jury selection has already Blaine County Sheriff Gene started for the trial for Keith Ramsey was a patrolman for the Blankenship. Some 200 prospecHailey Police Department in 1977 and was dis- tive jurors were called into 5th District Court on patched to the East Magic establishment to assist Sept. 1 to fill out lengthy questionnaires regarding officers from the sheriff’s office and Idaho State their knowledge of the case. The prospective juPolice. rors were also admonished to not read anything “Yes, I was down there at the time,” Ramsey about the case or to discuss it with anyone prior to told The Weekly Sun in an interview Monday. the start of the trial. “We discovered a horrific incident had happened Blankenship is charged with second-degree there, where three people died and a fourth person murder in the shooting death on or about Jan. 15 was seriously injured.” of 2014 of 47-year-old Stephen Michael RomanBoth the Blaine County Prosecuting Attorney’s chuk, a Hailey man who Blankenship allegedly Office and the defense team for Keith Blankenship owed $100. According to an investigation report have collected information on the 1977 shooting, compiled by the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, but it was uncertain this week whether the infor- Blankenship has admitted to shooting Romanchuk mation will be used in court when Blankenship’s but claimed he did so in self-defense. jury trial begins on a second-degree murder charge in Blaine County 5th District Court in HaiContinued ley. The trial, expected to last about two and half BLANKENSHIP weeks, is currently scheduled to start on Oct. 13. Page 6
T H E W E E K LY S U N •
SEPTEMBER 16, 2015