By Saturday, those same teammates were on the road to Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d'Alene to say goodbye to Wolfe. The 21-year-old was murdered early Saturday morning, shot in the head as he and a group of friends were walking downtown.
SKC men's basketball coach Zach Camel said Wolfe's mother kept her son, a member of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe from nearby Worley, on life support until everyone could get to Coeur d'Alene to say a final farewell.
According to witnesses, Wolfe and Villanueva had argued at Mik-n-Mac's, a bar in downtown Coeur d'Alene, late Friday night. Coeur d'Alene Police Sgt. Christie Wood said Villanueva was ordered by management to leave the bar following the incident.
Shortly after closing time, Wolfe and his friends left Mik-n-Mac's and were walking in the area. At 2:15 a.m., Villanueva allegedly pulled up near the group in a car, fired one shot that hit Wolfe in the head and fled the scene.
At 11:20 a.m., officers from Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and the Kootenai County Sheriff's Department converged on Rancho Viejo Mexican Restaurant in Post Falls, where employees told them Villanueva - who also worked at the restaurant - was hiding somewhere inside.
The Post Falls SWAT team located Villanueva in a locked restroom in the restaurant, which had no customers at the time, and arrested him.
Villanueva remains in the Kootenai County Jail with no bail after an initial appearance Monday with a public defender before District Court Judge Jim Stone.
Prosecutor Marty Raap, who requested $1 million bail, said Villanueva appeared to be making plans to return to his native Honduras when police arrested him. Raap said Villanueva has no Social Security number and that it remained unclear whether he was in the United States legally.
The killing stunned the SKC community in Pablo.
“I've been doing this 11 years, and had over 100 players come through here,” Camel said. “We've never lost anyone until now. This was one of our own. We're a family, and we're all hurt. We're all shocked.”
Camel received a phone call about the shooting early Saturday morning, and informed Wolfe's teammates by telephone shortly thereafter.
His real name was Timothy I. Williams, but he chose to go by Tim Wolfe.
Camel said his brother, SKC assistant coach J.R. Camel, discovered Wolfe “at one of those tournaments J.R.'s always playing in. Tim was only 5-(foot)-10, but he could touch 11 feet, which is a foot over the rim.”
“He was fast, and he had to be faster to compete with bigger college players,” Camel went on. “For only being 160, 170 pounds, he was one of our stronger players. He had a lot of energy, and he liked to shoot 3's, so he fit right in with us. He's exactly the kind of guy we like to have on our team.”
Wolfe scored 14 points earlier this year as the SKC Bison won the American Indian Higher Education Consortium national championship, downing Blackfeet Community College 100-92.
This was his first year with the Bison. He was a business management major at SKC.
Wolfe was a three-year starter for Lakeside High School in Plummer, Idaho, according to the Spokane Spokesman-Review, and was named to the 1A All-Idaho first-team as a senior point guard in 2005.
His team finished fourth in the state in 2004, and advanced to the state semifinals in 2005, when Wolfe averaged 19 points a game.
In high school, Wolfe also participated in track and played football, and was selected to compete for the eight-man North Team in the Calam Shrine North-South All-Star Football Classic held in the University of Idaho's Kibbie Dome.
“He was just a good kid,” Camel said. “He always had a smile on his face. He was always looking for the good in everyone and everything, and he talked to everybody. He always had a kind word for everyone, no matter what team we were playing.”
Wolfe's large extended family in the Worley area includes a young daughter, as well as his parents, Charlotte Nilson and Tim Williams, according to Coeur d'Alene Tribal Chairman Chief Allan.
Wolfe's mother is a member of the Coeur d'Alene Tribal Council.
“The whole Coeur d'Alene Tribe is mourning (Wolfe's) loss,” Allan told the Spokesman-Review. “He was a great young man. He had a lot of potential. A great smile, a great personality. He was loved by everybody.”
Reporter Vince Devlin can be reached at (406) 319-2117 or at vdevlin@missoulian.com.
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Merrymorgain wrote on May 12, 2009 9:31 AM:
" If that southern border had been secured and the laws of this nation enforced this young man would still be alive, still contributing to his family, his community and his nation. Killed by an illegal immigrant over nothing. The threats are real, the evidence of the impact of ILLEGAL immigration has been building for years now. Its a lie that the US needs illegal laborers or H1B visa workers. We need security. We need to know that we aren't competing with illegal workers, aren't supporting them or their anchor babies with our tax dollars while US citizens do without services that they need and have paid for through their taxes. If you hire an illegal you are stealing from the American people and should go to jail, period. YOU are encouraging criminal behavior and are an accessory to the crime. And you may find yourself in the situation of having harbored a violent criminal with no right to be here, who has murdered a promising member of the community. "
Buck Aragon wrote on May 12, 2009 9:37 AM:
" These businesses who hire these illegals should be penalized or prosecuted for hiring these Illegals. Many are never processed and who knows what crimes they have perpetrated in the past or what gangs they may be members of! "
rick wrote on May 12, 2009 9:51 AM:
" Pete, the President and Congress know what's best for us. Our input does not count. They have lied about the fence and failed the American people in the name of cheap labor for the republicans and votes for the democrats. There are sanctuary cities across the United States that prevent local law enforcemt from even checking IDs of illegals. When Obama starts pushing amnesty it will be a green light for a million more to cross. He does not want to militarize the border so we Americans will continue to be victims and pay for the health, education, and welfare of these illegals "
Buck wrote on May 12, 2009 12:03 PM:
" Another thing is that these Illegals send billions in untaxed dollars back to Mexico. A lot of them bring drugs for the Mecican drug cartels to use their routes and to get a grubstake here! Lets elect people who are going to get serious about this problem and not just talk the B.S. talk for political reasons! "
Sunny wrote on May 12, 2009 1:29 PM:
" A young life tragically taken and you people want to talk politics and immigration laws? Jesus! Who raised you people? "
JC wrote on May 12, 2009 3:39 PM:
" Could we please not make this an immigration issue. Let us not forget the thousands of american citizens who shoot and kill people everyday. This is a horrible tragedy, I'm sorry for all the family and friends affected by this. "
rick wrote on May 12, 2009 4:31 PM:
" Sunny, everyone on here is deeply sorry for the family and their loss. Sadly, this is not the first time, and it won't be the last. The killing of American citizens will continue because of pure politics. While this terrible incident is fresh in our minds, our politicians should be held accountable. This young man's death should not be in vain. "
Roger wrote on May 12, 2009 5:00 PM:
" Sorry Sunny, but these people are correct - the young man would still be alive if immigration law was enforced and the border sealed.
And JC, this isn't an immigration issue; immigration implies people coming here legally, not breaking the law and sneaking in.
Illegal immigration isn't helping America - it's hurting it. You'd be surprised at the number of illegal aliens in prison. It needs to be stopped, with no amnesty for illegals here now. "
And JC, this isn't an immigration issue; immigration implies people coming here legally, not breaking the law and sneaking in.
Illegal immigration isn't helping America - it's hurting it. You'd be surprised at the number of illegal aliens in prison. It needs to be stopped, with no amnesty for illegals here now. "
cbSKC wrote on May 12, 2009 5:27 PM:
" My prayers go out to the family of Tim. His family just suffered a tragic loss and everyone on here wants to talk about immigrants. Crazy people. "
Yellow Robe wrote on May 12, 2009 8:11 PM:
" I am deeply sorry for Tim's family, the SKC men's team and program, and the SKC community. He was a great young man and our prayers and condolences go out to his family and friends. "
nativesun wrote on May 12, 2009 8:51 PM:
" this is a tragedy and my family will pray for the family of this young man. as a native american it saddens me deeply that such a promising young man has been lost. We need young people like him to lead our people someday and this is a sad day. I will pray for all of you, you all deserve to live free of this type of tragedy, I hope people can come together for all of our young people, and soon. "
Clean and Serene wrote on May 13, 2009 12:39 PM:
" See kids, nothing good comes from hanging out in bars. Break the cycle. "
Mrs.X wrote on May 14, 2009 8:12 AM:
" I feel sad for the loss of Tim Wolfe..My prayers go out to his family and friends... "
JT wrote on May 14, 2009 10:14 AM:
" "My prayers and condolences go out to the family and friends of Tim, and the SKC community. What a tragic loss for his family and the whole Coeur d'Alene tribe. May "The Creator" be with you all in this time of mourning and sadness. Be strong, be safe and take care of your own." "
D Pete wrote on May 12, 2009 7:51 AM: