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Who Was Chad Entzel & What Happened to Him? 2025 Update & Background

by · December 25, 2025

Chad Entzel was a 42-year-old North Dakota native known for his deep love of sports, a tight-knit family bond, and a laid-back personality. Friends and family described him as an easygoing, hardworking man with a passion for bowling, darts, and stock car racing. He enjoyed spending his free time competing in local leagues and races, and those closest to him said he had a kind heart and a good sense of humor.

Chad lived with his wife, Nikki Entzel, and helped raise her two sons from a previous relationship. He was known to be a supportive stepfather and a devoted family man. While his marriage appeared stable on the surface, few could have predicted the danger that ultimately lay inside his own home.

The Night Everything Changed

On January 2, 2020, Chad’s life ended in violence. That evening, firefighters responded to a 911 call about a fire at the Entzel residence on the outskirts of Bismarck. When they arrived, they found the house filled with smoke and the lifeless body of Chad Entzel in the bedroom. At first, it seemed like a tragic accident caused by a heater malfunction or fire mishap.

However, a deeper investigation revealed that Chad had been shot twice in the head with a shotgun before the fire ever began. Evidence of accelerants and the discovery of two separate fires—one in the bedroom and another in the basement—made it clear that the fire had been intentionally set in an effort to cover up the murder. Chad did not die from the fire; he was already dead before it was set.

Betrayal From Within

What shocked many was the person eventually linked to the murder: Chad’s wife, Nikki Entzel. Authorities discovered she had been involved in an affair with a Canadian man, Earl Howard. Investigators soon pieced together a theory that Nikki and Howard plotted to kill Chad for insurance money and had intended to flee together to Texas.

Both suspects gave conflicting stories about what happened that night. Nikki claimed she was out walking at the time of the shooting, while Howard said he waited in the car while Nikki went inside and killed her husband. Surveillance footage, phone records, and interrogations eventually built a strong case that the crime had been premeditated.

Justice and Legacy

Chad Entzel’s death sparked an extensive investigation that spanned months and resulted in two convictions. Earl Howard took a plea deal and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Nikki Entzel stood trial and was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, arson, and tampering with evidence. In February 2023, she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after serving a minimum of 36 years.

To those who knew Chad, the legal outcome brought some closure but couldn’t erase the pain of his loss. His sister, Lori Kraus, and others in the family have spoken publicly about the heartbreak and betrayal they felt—not just from the crime, but from having to learn the true extent of the deception that led to his death.

Chad Entzel is remembered as a loyal family man and a community fixture who loved his hobbies and the people around him. His life was tragically taken in an act of cold calculation, but his memory continues to live on through those who cared for him most.

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Ryan Gill

Ryan is a passionate follower of true crime television programs, reporting on and providing in-depth investigations on mysteries in the criminal world.

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