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July 10, 2007

Wife charged in husband's death

By Erik Green

The wife of Dalton chiropractor James Kohnle has been charged with murder following his death in a June 29 house fire in Catoosa County.

Teresa Kohnle, 34, was charged Monday with felony murder and arson in the first degree, said Catoosa County Sheriff Phil Summers.

“Our investigation is focused on whether she acted alone or not,” Summers said. “We have evidence to indicate that she may have acted alone.”

Summers said investigators determined the fire at 3386 Boynton Drive in Ringgold was arson because a flammable substance had been used to start it.

“We also had statements of conflict (from Teresa Kohnle),” he said. “We got enough circumstantial evidence and statements to get the wife for arson and felony murder.”

A person is charged with felony murder if the felony they allegedly committed, in this case arson, leads to someone’s death, Summers said.

He said Teresa Kohnle had been seen leaving the house “a short period” before the fire began.

James Kohnle’s body was found by firefighters in the back bedroom of the couple’s house around 9:30 a.m. on June 29. Kohnle died of smoke inhalation, Summers said. He said it hasn’t been determined if both Kohnles, who worked together at the Alpha Wellness Center in Dalton, were involved in starting the fire and James Kohnle, 57, didn’t get out in time. According to his obituary, James Kohnle practiced at Chiropractic Holistic Health Care in Dalton for 15 years.

Summers said the only motive police have at this point is financial.

“I do know there were some financial problems,” Summers said. “(James Kohnle) had been ill and unable to work and they were in financial distress at the time the fire occurred.”

There was an insurance policy on the home and James Kohnle had a life insurance policy, Summers said. He did not know if the couple had a history of domestic problems.

Teresa Kohnle was scheduled to make a first appearance in court Tuesday afternoon in front of a magistrate court judge.

“I do not anticipate her getting bond,” Summers said.

A man who answered the phone at Alpha Wellness Center on Tuesday said the business is only doing massages at this time. He said it was still being decided what would be recommended for Kohnle’s patients.

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