Boise prison escape suspects indicted on charge of killing 83-year-old Idaho man

Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman

(Idaho Statesman) — Officials person pressed charges against an Idaho captive who escaped from custody pursuing an ambush astatine a Boise hospital and his accomplice successful relationship to nan decease of a North Idaho man.

Nicholas Umphenour, 28, and Skylar Meade, 31, were indicted by a Nez Perce expansive assemblage Tuesday and charged pinch first-degree execution successful nan death of 83-year-old James Mauney, of Juliaetta, according to a news merchandise from nan Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office.

If prosecutors find location are aggravating factors, they could scheme to activity nan decease punishment successful nan men’s cases.

Mauney didn’t return location aft a greeting locomotion pinch his dogs, which prompted nan Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office to rumor a missing personification alert. Police said they later recovered his assemblage successful a “desolate area” adjacent Leland, astir 10 miles eastbound of Juliaetta, northbound of Lewiston.

Police person said they fishy Umphenour and Meade of being involved successful 2 homicides aft they recovered Mauney and different North Idaho man killed while nan 2 suspects were astatine large. Authorities said Umphenour and Meade coordinated an onslaught connected correction officers astatine Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, wherever Meade had been transported to dainty self-inflicted injuries. The 2 men escaped successful a conveyance and had driven done North Idaho, wherever nan 2 homicides occurred, earlier they were caught successful nan Twin Falls area, constabulary said.

RELATED | Who are nan suspects? Men astatine halfway of Boise infirmary ambush had agelong criminal records

RELATED | Hospital video captures equipped flight of Idaho achromatic supremacist situation pack personnel from hospital

RELATED | Suspect who fled shooting astatine Boise infirmary is personnel of Aryan Knights. Who are they?

“These indictments are nan first measurement successful nan process of seeking justness for James Mauney,” Nez Perce Prosecutor Justin Coleman said successful a news release. “We person a agelong measurement to spell to scope nan conclusion we want and will proceed to activity diligently pinch rule enforcement agencies passim nan authorities to guarantee we person nan strongest lawsuit imaginable to present.”

Liliia Mauney holds a image of her husband, James Mauney, from 1980 successful their Juliaetta location successful March 2024. James Mauney, 83, was killed aft he vanished connected a canine locomotion successful Juliaetta. Police opportunity 2 men progressive successful a Boise situation flight are suspects successful his death. | Alex Duggan, Spokesman Review

Three Idaho Department of Correction officers transported Meade to nan Boise infirmary successful nan evening of March 19. By 2 a.m. nan adjacent morning, nan officers were taking Meade backmost into nan situation van erstwhile Umphenour approached them and began shooting, striking 2 of nan officers, Boise Police Violent Crimes Detective Matthew Canfield said during a preliminary hearing.

A 3rd correction serviceman was changeable and injured by a 12-year seasoned of nan Boise Police Department, according to nan constabulary agency. All 3 officers person since been released from nan infirmary and are recovering.

Police searched for Umphenour and Meade for 36 hours arsenic they traveled nearly 1,000 miles successful an almost afloat circle astir nan state, past drove done Missoula, Montana, earlier authorities recovered them successful Twin Falls County by surveilling a residential area successful Filer, astir 15 minutes west, according to anterior reporting and an affidavit of probable origin filed by nan Twin Falls Police Department.

Nicholas Umphenour and Skylar Meade are nether investigation for respective crimes, including nan homicides of 2 men. | Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman

The brace were spotted successful abstracted cars leaving nan vicinity erstwhile an FBI supplier began pursuing Meade and nan driver of nan vehicle, 52-year-old Twin Falls resident Tonia Huber. Huber was charged pinch respective felonies, including harboring a fugitive. Meade and Huber were arrested astatine a Walgreens parking batch successful Twin Falls pursuing a pursuit. Umphenour, who was driving 1 of nan homicide victim’s vehicles, was besides arrested successful nan area, authorities constabulary said.

A fourth suspect, 27-year-old Tia Garcia, of Twin Falls, was arrested astir a week later and accused of aiding and abetting nan men’s escape.

Both Umphenour and Meade who are members of nan white supremacist pack Aryan Knights, were served nan indictments Wednesday, according to nan prosecution’s release. They will beryllium held connected nan charges without enslaved and brought to nan 2nd Judicial Court successful Nez Perce County “to reply for nan execution astatine a later date,” nan merchandise said. In nan past fewer months, Meade and Umphenour person been successful custody astatine nan Ada County Jail connected respective charges related to nan situation escape.

Meade pleaded blameworthy to felony flight and a persistent violator enhancement but didn’t participate pleas connected 2 different enhancements, prompting nan judge to schedule a proceeding later this period connected really to proceed, the Idaho Statesman antecedently reported.

Umphenour has been scheduled for an Oct. 21 assemblage proceedings connected 7 charges aft 4th District Judge Nancy Baskin entered a plea of not blameworthy connected his behalf, the Statesman reported. He’s facing a persistent violator enhancement on pinch six felonies: 3 counts of an aggravated battle aliases artillery upon definite personnel; 1 count of escaping prison; 1 count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon; and an enhancement for utilizing that limb successful nan committee of a felony, tribunal records showed.

Nicholas Umphenour, nan man who is accused of helping an Idaho inmate flight from situation astatine a section hospital, appears successful 4th District Court for his arraignment astatine nan Ada County Courthouse successful Boise. | Darin Oswald, Idaho Statesman

Idaho State Police successful a news merchandise said troopers are still investigating nan sidesplitting of 72-year-old Gerald “Don” Henderson. The man was recovered successful his compartment adjacent Orofino aft his partner asked for a use cheque astir 8 p.m. March 20, nan aforesaid time of nan ambush. Idaho State Police spokesperson Aaron Snell declined to remark connected specifics related to Henderson’s investigation.

“ISP extends gratitude to nan progressive agencies supporting nan investigations and nan nationalist for their support,” nan merchandise said.