WENATCHEE — Local authorities first became aware of Isaac Aguigui in September 2011.

That’s when one of his relatives called a Wenatchee police officer to say that she was concerned that Aguigui, who was home on leave from the military, had purchased 15 firearms from High Mountain Hunting Supply in Wenatchee.

Sgt. John Kruse said several of the firearms were semi-automatic rifles.

The relative also said that Aguigui’s wife, Deirdre, had died July 17, 2011, and that her death was suspicious. She also said that Aguigui had received an insurance settlement after his wife’s death. Kruse said he did not know how Deirdre Aguigui died.

“We decided, because we had no idea if he was being investigated about the death of his wife, and a relative thought he was up to something, that we would call the criminal investigation division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and we also contacted the FBI office in Spokane, and let them know of the situation,” Kruse said.

“We found out later that he was interviewed by the FBI and returned to Fort Stewart in Georgia after his leave was done.”

Kruse said his office also alerted local law enforcement officers about the firearms purchases in case officers had any contact with Aguigui.

No Wenatchee officers initiated contact with Aguigui because the firearms were legally purchased and no crime had been committed locally, Kruse said.

Kruse said today his criminal data base shows no arrests for Aguigui locally.

At High Mountain Hunting Supply, owner Kelsey Hilderbrand said “we are assisting” with the investigation but he declined to say how.

In The Wenatchee World, Aguigui made news for government affairs, for sports and for his military service over the past several years. It was reported:

On Aug. 25, 2010, that Army Pvt. Isaac Aguigui recently graduated from basic training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. Aguigui is a 2009 home-school graduate from Cashmere.

On Jan. 23, 2009, that Aguigui was a member of a winning 200 medley relay in swimming, representing Eastmont High School. On Oct. 16, 2008, that Isaac Aguigui of Cashmere participated in a gathering of 21 Republicans in Wenatchee during the third and final presidential debate. “When Obama outlined his health-care plan,” the story said, “17-year-old Isaac Aguigui of Cashmere said, ‘That makes absolutely no sense.’ ”

On Aug. 6, 2008, that he “recently represented Washington state in the American Legion Boys Nation 2008 session held July 18-26 in Washington, D.C. The American Legion Boys Nation is a weeklong citizenship and government program in the nation’s capital that is designed to instill in each participant a deep loyalty to America while providing practical insight into the operation of the federal government.”

Dee Riggs: 664-7147

deeriggs@wenatcheeworld.com