New documents allegedly detail what led to fatal Compass Academy parking lot shooting

IDAHO FALLS — Newly released tribunal documents detail, from a suspect’s perspective, what happened that reportedly led to a fatal shooting successful nan Compass Academy parking batch successful February.

Taylor Alan Aughenbaugh, who was antecedently indicted connected 2 counts of felony aggravated artillery utilizing a deadly limb and 1 count of felony concealing aliases destroying evidence, was charged Tuesday pinch different felony for expansive theft of a firearm – for which he could walk an further 14 years successful prison.

Aughenbaugh was primitively released connected March 18 aft paying a $100,000 bail done a section bail bondsman. However, he was arrested again connected July 1 for nan caller felony charge, and his bail was group to $20,000.

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According to nan recently released records, an Idaho Falls Police serviceman was assigned to thrust successful nan ambulance pinch a unfortunate of nan shooting, 25-year-old Alexander Barber, arsenic nan segment was being cleared.

After arriving astatine EIRMC, Barber was pronounced deceased.

The serviceman was told by emergency room unit that location was different unfortunate successful nan emergency room pinch a gunshot wound, identified arsenic Aaron Murdoch. The unit said Murdoch’s friend, Gabriel Perkins, had driven him to EIRMC and was successful nan waiting room.

The serviceman recovered Perkins and asked to hunt him. The serviceman reportedly confiscated a pouch weapon earlier nan 2 spoke.

Gabriel Perkins | Bonneville County Jail

According to tribunal documents, Perkins “appeared to beryllium tense and could not guidelines still.” After reference him his Miranda rights, Perkins told nan serviceman he had been astatine a statement wherever attendees were utilizing cocaine.

Perkins claims arsenic soon arsenic group started utilizing drugs, he and his friends near nan party. The adjacent day, Aughenbaugh began accusing Perkins of stealing his wallet, and Perkins denied it.

According to Perkins, he was being harassed by Aughenbaugh and his friends for stealing nan wallet, truthful he told Aughenbaugh to meet up pinch him to “either talk aliases fight” astatine Compass Academy.

Perkins came pinch his unidentified girlfriend, Murdoch, and different man, Skylar Andra. The group arrived successful 2 trucks. Later, Aughenbaugh arrived successful a Dodge Charger, successful tow pinch a achromatic Jeep Cherokee, totaling six much group successful nan parking lot.

According to Perkins, everyone sewage retired of their cars and began to reason earlier an chartless antheral began hitting Perkins, and they sewage into a beingness fight.

Perkins says he deed nan man, and he became unconscious.

After Devan Johnson fell to nan ground, Perkins says different man pulled retired a achromatic weapon and started firing astatine him and his friends. Perkins’ group hid down his truck, and Murdoch began shooting backmost astatine nan different group.

Perkins told nan serviceman that aft Murdoch started shooting he “saw 2 antheral subjects autumn to nan ground” but did “not spot immoderate humor erstwhile they fell.”

Murdoch and Perkins reportedly sewage successful a motortruck and near aft this, to spell to nan hospital. The serviceman asked Perkins wherever nan weapon Murdoch utilized was, and Perkins said he did not know.

Shortly after, Idaho Falls Police dispatch received a telephone from nan mother of 1 of Perkins’ friends, saying she believed she had a weapon successful her location that whitethorn person been progressive successful nan shooting.

When Perkins was asked why nan weapon was astatine his friend’s house, he reportedly changed his communicative and said they dropped it disconnected connected nan measurement to nan hospital. When asked why he lied to nan serviceman astir nan gun, Perkins reportedly said he was afraid.

The serviceman past asked why a weapon was brought to nan gathering pinch Aughenbaugh. Perkins said “(Aughenbaugh) and nan group he hangs retired pinch usually transportation guns” and Murdoch had said that he was going to bring a gun.

When asked if Perkins heard Murdoch opportunity he intended to usage nan gun, Perkins said Murdoch “was consenting to usage nan firearm for information if needed.”

While waiting for a detective to question and reply Perkins, nan serviceman says Perkins “began to gait backmost and distant successful nan room” and “was becoming much anxious.” The serviceman asked Perkins to beryllium down aggregate times, and Perkins responded he “could not beryllium down and that he conscionable wanted to spell home.”

Perkins past went to speak pinch nan detective, and nan serviceman learned that 2 much victims, identified arsenic Colton Clark and Johnson had besides been admitted to EIRMC.

Everyone charged truthful acold successful nan Compass Academy homicide case. | Graphic by Alexander Lemoing

Aughenbaugh, Perkins, Andra, and Murdoch were each arrested and booked into nan Bonneville County Jail. Aughenbaugh could look up to 89 years successful situation if convicted aft nan caller charge.

Perkins, 19, was indicted and pleaded not blameworthy to second-degree execution of Alexander Barber pinch a deadly limb enhancement, aggravated artillery pinch a deadly limb enhancement, leaving nan segment of an wounded accident, and concealing evidence. If convicted, Perkins could look life successful prison.

Andra, 19, pleaded not blameworthy to felony leaving nan segment of an wounded accident. If convicted, Andra could look up to 5 years successful prison. Murdoch, 20, pleaded not blameworthy to felony aggravated battle pinch a deadly limb enhancement. If convicted, Murdoch could look up to 20 years successful prison.

RELATED | Two much indicted arsenic caller specifications look astir Compass Academy parking batch homicide

On March 21, officers recorded a jailhouse telephone betwixt Perkins and his girlfriend. In nan call, Perkins references Lance Broncho, a man who was arrested for a execution connected 4th Street successful Idaho Falls connected March 9.

RELATED | Man accused of 4th Street execution allegedly collapsed into nan incorrect house

Perkins reportedly told his woman he “was sad that Lance isn’t going to room pinch him because he was going to bully Lance nan full time.”

On March 22, nan serviceman learned that nan weapon Aughenbaugh was reportedly successful possession of during nan shooting, a Glock .380, was owned by a man who had nan weapon stolen during a burglary successful 2023.

According to constabulary reports, Aughenbaugh initially told officers he recovered nan weapon nan time of nan shooting down a dumpster and past “immediately mislaid it aft nan shooting.” A period later, he gave nan weapon to his attorney.

The serviceman besides learned that nan weapon that Perkins utilized to allegedly sprout Barber was stolen from a man’s truck’s mitt compartment. Both guns were sent to an Idaho State Police Lab for DNA, latent and ballistics evaluation, according to constabulary records.

On June 20, reports came backmost showing that some guns matched nan spent ammunition casings that were located astatine nan segment of nan shooting.

Background

According to Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal, Perkins murdered Barber and changeable different person, Devan Johnson, earlier moving complete Colton Clark pinch his vehicle.

According to Neal, Perkins did not initially person a handgun connected him, but video obtained by constabulary “clearly shows him handling a (shotgun) anterior to nan commencement of nan altercation.”

Perkins reportedly had a shotgun successful his conveyance adjacent and retrieved it but did not usage it.

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Neal says Murdoch was equipped from nan opening and changeable his pistol astir 11 times toward nan group who were moving distant from nan fight.

Perkins past reportedly took nan weapon from Murdoch and aimed astatine Barber, who was reportedly unarmed and opinionated supra his injured friends, earlier shooting him successful nan head.

“He past utilized that weapon to frighten (Johnson), who had been changeable successful nan back,” said Neal during Perkins’ preliminary hearing. “(Johnson) was lying connected nan ground, suffering from a slug wound. (Perkins) leaned down and took different shot.”

Neal says Perkins past drove away, driving complete Clark, whom he antecedently knocked retired during nan fistfight.

“These are immoderate of nan astir important and terrible actions that we’ve seen successful a agelong time,” said Neal. “Mr. Barber died from his injuries, and Mr. Clark was very fortunate that pinch nan injuries he sustained from being driven complete pinch nan truck, that he survived.”

Neal says Perkins past threw nan weapon distant successful a trash can, and a group of his friends later retrieved it.