Timothy Bowman case on Mother, May I Murder? - A detailed case overview

In Lummi Reservation near Bellingham, Washington, a tale of betrayal unfolded in 2002 when 43-year-old professor Timothy Bowman was killed by a single gunshot to the head while he slept. His girlfriend, Naomi Kinney, confessed to the crime and revealed she had tried to murder him six times before, often turning to her mother, Judith Kinney, for advice on deadly methods like poisoning his food with sleeping pills. 

What began as a relationship marked by domestic disputes escalated into a conspiracy driven by custody fears and claims of abuse, leaving two young sons without their father and a third child unborn at the time. The case exposes the hidden dangers of enabling violence within families, as Naomi followed her mother's suggestions, including listening on the phone during the fatal act. 

This story of manipulation and failed escapes from toxicity is retold in the Investigation Discovery series Mother, May I Murder?, highlighting how a parent's influence turned lethal. Episode 7 of season 2, titled Seven Ways to Kill Your Lover captures these events through interviews and recreations. Viewers can watch it on Tuesdays on Investigation Discovery via cable or stream full seasons on Hulu, discovery+, or Amazon Prime Video. 

Mother, May I Murder?: The relationship and early signs of trouble

Timothy Bowman, a member of the Anishinabe tribe from Indiana, moved to Washington state in the late 1990s to teach Indian history, science, and education at Northwest Indian College on the Lummi Reservation. Born to a minister father, he was pursuing a doctorate at Oregon State University and had previously instructed at OSU and Linn-Benton Community College. 

At 43, Timothy Bowman shared a home with his 31-year-old girlfriend, Naomi Kinney, and their two sons, aged 2 and 5. The couple's relationship, which started years earlier, showed cracks early on. Colleagues noted Bowman's growing unease; he often slept in his office, expressing fear of returning home at night. Naomi later claimed Timothy Bowman physically abused her, citing incidents like black eyes, but she also admitted to self-inflicting injuries to support these stories, as per ICT News.

Tensions rose amid custody concerns. Bowman sought more involvement with the children, while Naomi worried about losing control. She turned frequently to her mother, Judith Kinney, 64, living in Albany, Oregon, for emotional support. Judith, described in court evaluations as controlling, offered guidance that blurred into dangerous territory. Timothy Bowman's recent whistleblowing on a college deal involving the former president added stress, though no link to the murder was found, according to KPC News. 

The series of murder attempts

Before the fatal shot, Naomi Kinney made six documented attempts on Timothy Bowman's life between late 2001 and early 2002, each more desperate than the last. These acts, confessed during her interrogation, involved everyday items-turned-weapons, often planned with input from her mother. 

The first notable try came on Valentine's Day 2002, when Naomi baked cookies, peanut butter, and chocolate laced with ground-up sleeping pills, presenting them as a loving gesture. Timothy Bowman became sick but survived, later suspecting tampering, according to Herald Net. Other methods included smothering him with a pillow and a plastic bag while he slept, which failed when he woke up. 

She also beat him using a bar of soap wrapped in a sock, aiming for blunt force without obvious marks. An attempt to ignite the gas tank of his truck ended without success, and two additional efforts, details unspecified in records, involved similar close calls. Throughout, Naomi consulted Judith by phone, receiving suggestions on effective poisons and timing. Prosecutors noted these as separate crimes, each tied to Naomi's goal of ending the relationship and securing custody, as per KPC News.

Bowman reported some suspicions to friends but did not seek formal help, perhaps due to the shared children. Naomi's self-inflicted bruises continued, used to portray Bowman as the aggressor in calls to authorities. Judith's role emerged in confessions: she encouraged persistence after failures, framing the acts as protection for her daughter and grandchildren. These attempts spanned weeks, disrupting Timothy Bowman's work and health, yet he pressed on with teaching duties, as ICT News reported. 

The fatal shooting and cover-up

On March 3, 2002, Naomi Kinney carried out the seventh and successful attempt, shooting Timothy Bowman once in the back of the head as he slept in their Lummi Reservation home. After removing their two sons to the car, she called her mother, who stayed on the line to listen during the act. The gunshot was muffled, and Bowman died instantly from the wound. Naomi then fled with the children to Oregon, arriving at Judith's home in Albany. 

There, the pair encased the 9mm pistol in cement inside a trash can to hide it, a step investigators later uncovered, as per KPC News. The next day, March 4, a welfare check by Whatcom County authorities found Timothy Bowman's body in bed, prompting an immediate homicide investigation. Evidence in the home, including shell casings, pointed to Naomi as the suspect. She was arrested on March 6 in Oregon and held on $1 million bail for first-degree murder. 

Judith was briefly detained on March 8 but released when charges were not ready; a search of her home yielded no immediate evidence. Bowman's memorial on March 11 featured a custom casket decorated with salmon and eagle motifs, made by his students, reflecting his cultural ties, according to ICT News.

Naomi's quick confession to detectives detailed the plot, including her mother's real-time involvement. The children, unharmed, were placed temporarily in care before joining Timothy Bowman's brother Joseph and his wife in Wisconsin. A third child, a daughter, was born months later. The cover-up efforts, like the hidden gun, failed under scrutiny, leading to recovered evidence, as KPC News reported. 

Investigations, trials, and sentencing

The investigation by the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office and Albany police moved swiftly after Naomi's arrest, uncovering phone records and witness statements that implicated Judith. In November 2003, a Linn County grand jury indicted her on conspiracy to commit felony murder, solicitation, tampering with evidence, and hindering prosecution; she was held on $250,000 bail. 

Naomi, evaluated as mentally competent in June 2003, agreed to testify against her mother in exchange for a plea deal, as per Herald Net. In July 2004, Naomi pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder for the poisoning and smothering. Her sentence totaled 50 years, with no parole: 240 months for murder plus 180 months each for the attempts, served consecutively. 

Judith followed with a guilty plea to solicitation to commit murder and hindering prosecution on July 9, 2004, receiving the maximum of just over four years in prison the next day. Prosecutor Dave McEachran emphasized the mother's enabling role, while Naomi's deal hinged on her cooperation, according to Herald Net. The Washington Court of Appeals upheld Naomi's consecutive sentences in 2005, ruling the attempts as distinct acts under state law. 

Watch Mother, May I Murder? season 2, episode 7, available on ID.