5 chilling details from Chad Entzel case on ‘The Last Strike’ episode of 20/20

In North Dakota, a seemingly ordinary family life unraveled into a nightmare of betrayal and violence. Chad Entzel, a 42 year old enthusiast of bowling, darts, golf and stock car racing was found dead in his home on January 2, 2020, amid a raging fire.

Chad's wife, Nikki Entzel and her lover, Earl Howard were entangled in a passionate affair that ended in shotgun blasts and arson. Security footage, an arson dog's alert and conflicting alibis exposed the conspiracy leading to convictions years later.

The case highlights how hidden relationships can erupt into tragedy, leaving behind shattered families and a community in shock. Friends and relatives remember Chad as a devoted father figure to Nikki's two young sons unaware of the storm brewing. 

This story of deception and desperation is explored in depth in the ABC News' 20/20 episode The Last Strike which features exclusive interviews including one with Nikki from prison. Airing tonight, Friday, December 26, 2025 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC, the episode streams the next day on Hulu.

The Last Strike Episode of 20/20: 5 chilling details from the Chad Entzel case

1. The brutal shotgun attack that ended Chad's life

Chad Entzel's death was not caused by the fire that consumed his home but by two devastating shotgun blasts to the chest delivered at close range on the night of December 31, 2019. Investigators arrived at the scene on January 2, 2020 after Nikki Entzel called 911 reporting smoke and fearing for her husband's safety, as he had missed work.

Firefighters pulled Chad Entzel's body from a bedroom, where the shotgun lay on the bed, not on the floor as might be expected in a s*icide or struggle. Autopsy results confirmed the wounds were fatal on their own with no smoke inhalation, pointing to murder hours before the blaze.

Nikki initially claimed ignorance but evidence suggested she and Howard had entered the house multiple times that night. Chad's sister, Lori Kraus described him as a vibrant man full of future plans making the violent end all the more stark. 

2. The arson cover up was designed to erase evidence

To conceal the murder, Nikki Entzel and Earl Howard set two separate fires in the Entzel home, one in the bedroom where Chad Entzel lay and another in the basement, using accelerants like gasoline.

Howard later admitted in a plea deal that he offered to "take care of it" by burning the evidence after the shooting, while Nikki varied her story, first saying she heard gunshots and later claiming she was on a long walk in subzero temperatures.

 The fires were ignited around 1 a.m. on January 1, 2020 but Nikki did not report them until two days later allowing the blaze to intensify. An arson investigation dog alerted to ignitable liquids at the scene, debunking the initial theory of an accidental propane heater malfunction. Security cameras captured the pair making suspicious trips in and out of the house that night fueling the probe.

3. Security footage and an arson dog that cracked the case

Key evidence emerged from home security cameras showing Nikki and Earl together at the house over a dozen times on the murder night of the murder, including intimate moments that contradicted Nikki's denials of their affair.

Footage from a Walmart days earlier captured them kissing publicly, a bold display in their small town. When firefighters sifted through the debris, they noted oddities like the gun's position and disconnected fire patterns. The turning point came when an arson K-9 sniffed out accelerants shifting the case from accident to homicide.

4. Conflicting alibis and interrogations that exposed lies

During a grueling six hour police interview just days after the fire, Nikki Entzel's story shifted repeatedly: she first admitted being at the house and hearing shots during a struggle then claimed she waited in the car while Howard acted alone and finally insisted she was on a 90 minute walk in 10 degree weather.

Howard, in his own session, accused Nikki of pulling the trigger while he stayed outside, yet both denied firing the fatal shots. Burleigh County State's Attorney Julie Lawyer described Nikki's tactics: 

"She figured she would be able to give them a story that would explain away everything."

 In her ABC prison interview, Nikki acknowledged inconsistencies but maintained her innocence, wishing for resources to "figure out what really happened."

5. Life sentences and a family left in ruins

The aftermath brought justice but profound loss: Earl Howard pleaded guilty in February 2022 to conspiracy to commit murder and arson, receiving 25 years after charges were reduced.

Nikki Entzel's October 2022 trial ended in convictions for conspiracy to commit murder, arson and evidence tampering; she was sentenced to life with parole possibility on February 17, 2023, over three years after Chad Entzel's death. Her attorney filed appeals but Nikki told ABC, 

"I'm not the person that they portray I am," 

Chad Entzel's loved ones like his sister Lori, mourn a man who dreamed of retirement adventures, his baking-business wife now imprisoned.

Catch ABC's 20/20 episode, The Last Strike on ABC Network.