A devoted son and father remembered for his kind and gentle nature, Kelly Duane Kvale was a resident of Denison, Texas, with connections to communities across Oklahoma and his home state. Born on March 17, 1970, to Harold and Martha Kvale, he was a family man at heart. Those who knew him recalled a person who touched the lives of many, and his loss was deeply felt by his parents, his son, Nicholas McIntyre, his daughter, Hannah Durhon, and a network of friends and relatives who cherished him.
On Memorial Day, May 30, 2016, the life of 46-year-old Kelly Kvale, a Caucasian male, was tragically cut short in Fort Worth, Texas. Police were called to a residence in the 2200 block of Evans Avenue, in a neighborhood south of the city's downtown core. Inside the living room, they discovered Kelly with a fatal gunshot wound. He was rushed to John Peter Smith Hospital, but his injury was too severe, and he was pronounced dead.
The initial investigation by the Fort Worth Police Department's homicide unit began piecing together the events that led to the shooting.
The investigation quickly focused on a suspect named William Benjamin Strauch. According to a report in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Strauch allegedly told a witness that the shooting had been an accident. Despite this claim, a warrant for his arrest on a murder charge was issued, and a manhunt began. The search for Strauch came to a dramatic end about a week later, on June 7, 2016, in Dallas.
Officers with the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force tracked Strauch to the Walnut Hill Inn, a motel in the 2100 block of Walnut Hill Lane in Dallas. Around 4:30 p.m., as officers attempted to apprehend him, Strauch retreated into his motel room and barricaded himself inside. He then fired multiple shots from a weapon, causing the officers to pull back and call for the assistance of the Dallas SWAT team. The ensuing standoff lasted for several hours.
The area around the motel was secured as SWAT officers surrounded the building. Just after 7 p.m., the SWAT team made entry into the room, deploying tear gas. The tactical maneuver was successful, and Strauch surrendered to authorities without further incident. He was treated by Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedics at the scene for minor injuries related to the tear gas exposure before being transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital for evaluation. Following his release from the hospital, he was slated to be transferred to the Fort Worth City Jail and booked on the murder charge for the death of Kelly Kvale.
Following the violent end to his life, Kelly Kvale's family chose to honor his memory with a private, family-centered farewell. A graveside service was held in Colbert, Oklahoma, where many of his relatives lived, reflecting the deep family roots he maintained. The arrangements were handled by Fisher Funeral Home in his hometown of Denison. Though public remembrances were quiet, those who knew Kelly shared condolences and memories of a man who was loved and is still missed. The case against William Benjamin Strauch proceeded through the Tarrant County justice system.
