IDAHO FALLS — In 2016, a young boy died from severe head injuries. His father has now been sentenced for his role in the boy’s death.

This week, Robert Lawrence Saad, 31, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the death of his son, Robert Saad Jr. Two of those years are fixed with eight indeterminate. Saad was originally charged with first-degree murder but entered an Alford plea to the amended charge of involuntary manslaughter after questions about the victim’s injuries were raised by investigators.

An Alford plea is when an accused person acknowledges that a jury would likely find them guilty based on the evidence but still maintains that they are innocent.

Saad was given credit for two years he has spent in jail since he was arrested in November 2017. With the credit for time served, Saad is now eligible for a parole hearing from the Idaho Commission of Pardons and Parole.

“This is a very tragic time for me. I not only lost everything I could possibly have in this timeframe. I’ve lost my family, my son, my livelihood,” Saad said during the sentencing hearing on Wednesday.

On Sept. 15, 2016, Idaho Falls Police were called to the Saad home. It was reported the baby, Robert Saad Jr. was not breathing after falling backward and hitting his head.

He was taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center where doctors discovered a fracture at the back of his skull and bleeding on his brain, according to court documents. The baby was airlifted to Primary Children’s Hospital where he died Sept. 18, 2016.

RELATED: Idaho Falls father charged with murder says he didn’t kill his son

During Wednesday’s hearing, Bonneville County Deputy Prosecutor Tanner Crowther said there was some dispute among medical professionals as to exactly when Robert Saad Jr. sustained the injuries to his head that resulted in his death.

Crowther said an X-ray showed the injury had been healing and that there was no bruising around the injury when Robert Saad Jr. was taken to the hospital. Crowther explained those facts call into question whether or not the child received the injuries while under Saad’s care.

“I highlight that because I want the court to know this was not a (charge) reduction as a matter of leniency,” Crowther said. “This is a case that is as serious as it gets. This was a reduction that was based upon the proof that we had and what would have been elicited at trial.”

He said the reduced charge came after carefully reviewing the facts and consulting experts.

“We’re very comfortable in this particular charge. And we’re very comfortable … that the sentence, in this case, ought to be a maximum sentence under an involuntary manslaughter theory,” Crowther said.

Crowther told district Judge Bruce Pickett that they have reached out to Robert Saad Jr.’s family to talk to them about the case. He said the family told him they did not want to be contacted or talk about the case.

Pickett said he has defended and prosecuted similar cases prior to becoming a judge. He said it is not uncommon for evidence to be interpreted differently as an investigation continues.

“But there are some things that are beyond doubt here. One, there was injuries to the child. (The presentencing investigation) talks about how there was an occipital skull fracture and the child had bleeding on the brain, a fracture of the arm,” Pickett said. “Ultimately, the investigators found early on that it was not an accidental injury.”

The plea agreement stipulated a sentence of 10 years, the maximum for involuntary manslaughter, with two years fixed and eight years indeterminate. The plea agreement was binding on the court which means if Pickett chose not to adhere to the agreements recommendation Saad would have been able to withdraw his guilty plea and the cause could have gone to trial.

Picket held to the plea agreement and sentenced Saad to 10 years with two years fixed and eight years indeterminate.

POCATELLO — A jury trial has been set for one of the California teenagers accused of brutally killing a Pocatello grandmother.

On Thursday, District Judge Robert C. Naftz set a jury trial for Dustin Alfaro, 18, to begin on March 3, 2020. Alfaro and Isaac Rodriguez-Romero, 17, are charged with first-degree murder, felony conspiracy to commit murder and a felony weapons enhancement for their involvement in the March killing of 87-year-old Arlyne Koehler.

The jury trial is planned to run Tuesday through Friday for three weeks once the trial commences.

Several testified at a preliminary hearing in September of the “horrific” scene left following the killing. Witnesses who found Kohler dead described blood in the kitchen and dining room, followed by a blood trail out of the home and down the road, KPVI reported.

Bannock County Corner Eli Tyasom testified an autopsy conducted by a doctor in Boise showed Koehler died from stab wounds to the heart, spleen, liver and carotid artery.

In an interview transcript reviewed by KPVI between Alfaro, the Yuba County chief deputy district attorney and an investigator with the DA’s office, Alfaro told some of his side of the story. He reportedly admitted to breaking into the house through a back window while claiming Rodriguez-Romero stabbed Koehler to death.

Alfaro told detectives he and Rodriguez-Romero were in Rigby on March 19 visiting a friend. He reportedly got drunk and did “coke” before passing out in a car driven by the 17-year-old. When he woke up, the pair stopped in Pocatello.

In a seemingly random plan, “we at least gonna pull up to some house get into it before we go back to Cali,” Alfaro said to police, according to KPVI. The two decided to rob Koehlers home because there was no car in the driveway and lights were out. At some point during the robbery, Alfaro told police Rodriguez-Romero stabbed Koehler with a large kitchen knife.

The pair left Pocatello and drove back to California where they were arrested by law enforcement in Yuba County.

Rodriguez-Romero is scheduled for a status conference on Dec. 5, where a jury trial is likely to be scheduled for the teen being tried as an adult.

The following is a news release from the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.

BOISE – Szilvia Rideg, 40, formerly of Boise, was sentenced to five years’ probation for the felony offense of federal program theft, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today. Rideg’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Chief Judge David C. Nye at the federal courthouse in Boise. Before sentencing, Rideg paid $44,311.04 in restitution plus a $100 special assessment.

According to court records, from 2015 to 2018, Rideg worked as the executive director for the Idaho Veterans Research and Education Foundation (“Foundation”). The Foundation is a Veterans Affairs Nonprofit Research and Education Corporation located in Boise. Its purpose is to support research and education at the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

From 2016 to 2018, Rideg used the Foundation’s credit card to make unauthorized charges at stores such as Macy’s, Victoria’s Secret, Fred Meyer, Starbucks, Target, Sunglass Hut, and Graeber & Company salon. In March 2018, Rideg used the credit card to pay for over $1,000 at the Hilton San Diego resort for herself and two children. In September 2016, she used the credit card to buy plane tickets for her two children to fly to Washington, D.C. To conceal these illegal charges, Rideg paid the credit card charges from the Foundation’s checking account and altered the Foundation’s checking account statements. Rideg misapplied over $44,000 belonging to the Foundation.

The case was investigated by Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Because the Foundation received over $10,000 in federal money, and Rideg misapplied more than $5,000, federal criminal charges were filed against Rideg.

The following is a news release from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.

IONA — An Iona man was arrested after a six hour standoff with Bonneville County Sheriff deputies on Saturday night.

Police reports show that at about 3:40 p.m., deputies were called to check on the welfare of a woman living in the 3600 block of North Main Street in Iona. Deputies had been called to the location before and had an active felony warrant for domestic battery for 45-year-old Michael M. Miller who lived there, according to a sheriff’s news release

Several attempts were made to contact Miller and the female to have them come outside to speak with deputies but they refused to communicate. Due to safety concerns for the well-being of the female and the information at hand, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team was activated to assist while a search warrant was sought for the residence

After a search warrant was obtained, deputies continued to attempt contact with Miller and the female in the house and got no response.

At approximately 10 p.m., SWAT Team members breached two window areas of the residence and eventually made contact with Miller.

Miller exited the residence and gave himself up to deputies at that time. Deputies located the female inside who was suffering from a medical issue and were able to quickly get her to Idaho Falls Fire personnel who were standing by.

Miller was transported to the Bonneville County Jail and booked on the felony warrant for domestic batter with traumatic injury.

Deputies are continuing the investigation and any further potential charges are pending at this time.

(CNN) — A shooter fired at three men who were leaving a concert in Salt Lake City on Friday night, authorities said.

The gunshots were fired from an older model white car and injured the men as they left The Complex, an event venue, said Lt. Carlos Valencia of the Salt Lake City Police Department.

The three men were walking when the car approached them. One of the victims fired back as the car drove away, police said.

One victim was shot in the chest. The second victim, a juvenile, was shot in the foot from a ricochet bullet while the third victim left the scene and went to his aunt’s house. He was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound.

Off duty officers working part-time at The Complex were down the block preparing to leave the area when they first heard the shots. Police are still “trying to sort everything,” including talking to witnesses and searching for the car, Valencia said.

A rap group named Shoreline Mafia was performing at The Complex on Friday night, according to the venue’s website.

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Investigators executed an operation over the weekend that led to the arrests of multiple Treasure Valley men who law enforcement says were targeting children online.

The three-day operation resulted in the arrests of nine people, according to the Idaho Attorney General’s Office. The Idaho Statesman reports five face prosecution for state charges and four were federally charged and the suspects were booked into the Ada County Jail.

The men facing charges are:

• Jesse A. Kelly-Castillo, 23, of Boise, arrested Friday, faces a federal charge of coercion and enticement.
• Trevor M. Byram, 25, of Boise, arrested Friday, faces a state charge of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
• Maxwell G. Hennerley, 23, of Boise, arrested Friday, faces a federal charge of coercion and enticement.
• Joshua R. Schmitz, 33, of Garden City, arrested Saturday, faces a state charge of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
• Shawn M. Reber, 27, of Fruitland, arrested Saturday, faces a state charge of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
• Seth M. Holden, 29, of Garden City, arrested Saturday, faces a state charge of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
• Vern L. Moore, 55, of Kuna, arrested Sunday, faces a federal charge of coercion and enticement.
• Patrick P. Telleria, 35, of Boise, arrested Sunday, faces a state charge of enticing a child through use of the internet or other communication device.
• Jordan M. Drake, 32, of Boise, arrested Sunday, faces a federal charge of coercion and enticement.

“This operation took nine dangerous child predators off the streets,” said Eben Roberts, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Seattle, through a news release. “This operation’s success, and those like it, is a direct result of the strong partnership shared between HSI and local, state and federal law enforcement. HSI is committed to protecting children from those seeking to take advantage of their innocence.”

Anyone with information regarding the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact local police, the Attorney General’s ICAC Unit at 208-947-8700, or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.

The Attorney General’s ICAC Unit works with the Idaho ICAC Task Force, a coalition of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, to investigate and prosecute individuals who use the internet to criminally exploit children. The ICAC Unit’s website, ICACIdaho.org, is a resource for parents and children to learn about ways young people can stay safe in the digital world.

REXBURG — A woman was arrested on one felony count of grand theft after police say she stole money from her employer last year.

Ashliegh Dawn Sparks, 22, was booked into the Madison County Jail on Saturday.

Sparks was an employee of Apple Tree Learning Center in 2018 when the alleged crimes occurred. Police say she took money from a small cash box over a three-month period, and the manager caught her on a hidden camera.

“They discovered $1,350 missing from August to November of 2018,” Rexburg Police Capt. Gary Hagen tells EastIdahoNews.com. “The business noticed they were missing money, so they set up their own hidden camera in the office.”

Sparks told investigators she was pregnant and missing days of work because of sickness. Due to financial hardship, she said she was taking the money, and she told her husband somebody was leaving the cash on their doorstep to help them out.

“She admitted to taking the money box behind the business with a screwdriver and prying it open,” Hagen says. “She discarded the safe but took the cash and everything in it.”

A warrant for Sparks’ arrest was issued in March, and she was taken into custody Saturday. Police did not say why there was a delay in arresting her.

She posted $15,000 bail and is scheduled for an arraignment Dec. 3.

IDAHO FALLS — The death penalty is off the table for the Idaho Falls man accused stabbing his girlfriend to death.

In a notice filed Friday, the Bonneville County Prosecutor’s Office informed the court it wouldn’t seek the death penalty against 33-year-old Philip Schwab.

Police say sometime on June 23, Schwab violently stabbed his girlfriend, Kaylynn Blue, and buried her in a shallow grave in the backyard of their home. Schwab pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder earlier last week.

RELATED | Man accused of murder had hundreds of disturbing posts on his Facebook page

Under Idaho law, anyone charged with first-degree murder “shall be punished by death or by imprisonment for life.” That decision on whether to seek the death penalty is left up to the prosecuting attorney after reviewing aggravating and mitigating factors.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Alayne Bean writes in Friday’s notice that the office believes there are aggravating factors in the killing, namely “utter disregard for human life.” He called the evidence in the case “overwhelming.”

“At the same time, the state is aware of significant mitigating evidence on the issue of punishment including that the defendant has no prior criminal conduct, that the defendant has 22q11 deletion syndrome, and evidence that (the) defendant has full-scale IQ of 76,” the notice reads.

Earlier court documents show Schwab struggled to understand the legal proceedings because of the disability, so the Public Defender’s Office asked Magistrate Judge Jason D. Walker to allow Philip Schwab’s mother to visit him in person at the Bonneville County Jail. Walker approved the request.

RELATED: Man accused of killing girlfriend ‘does not understand what is happening,’ according to documents

According to the National Institutes of Health, the symptoms of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome — also known as DiGeorge syndrome — vary widely from person to person. An estimated 1 in 4,000 people are diagnosed with the disorder. They are at an increased risk for developing mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.

Bean writes in the notice that under Idaho law, 22q 11.2 Deletion Syndrome and his IQ don’t affect Schwab’s legal competency. Additionally, Idaho law passed in 1982 states, “mental condition shall not be a defense to any charge of criminal conduct.”

Prosecutors also visited with Blue’s family, who indicated they don’t want the state to seek the death penalty against Schwab. Although family wishes are considered, the burden of intent to seek the death penalty falls to the prosecutors, according to Idaho law.

“Understandably, these individuals are suffering immensely, and their suffering will continue, likely long after this case ends,” according to the notice. “The state is mindful of the family’s desire for closure and thoughtfully considered the family’s wishes.”

RELATED | Kaylynn Blue tried to run as boyfriend stabbed her to death, court documents reveal

A jury trial for Schwab is scheduled for March 9 at the Bonneville County Courthouse before District Judge Bruce Pickett.

IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Police Department is investigating after a group of girls reported that a man exposed himself to them Sunday afternoon.

The parent of one of the girls called police around 2:40 p.m. She said her young daughters and their friends were walking down Moonlite Drive toward Esquire Park when a man driving by exposed his genitals out of the window to the girls.

Officers arrived and spoke to the children and their parents. After a search of the area, police were unable to find the man or a vehicle matching the description the girls gave.

The person was described as a large, Caucasian man in his mid-40s with a bald head and no facial hair. He was wearing black-framed glasses and driving a gray pickup, possibly a Chevy Avalanche, with two long wooden planks hanging out of the bed of the truck.

Police ask residents in the area with security cameras to check their video footage and see if there are any vehicles matching the description from early Sunday afternoon. A license plate, direction of travel, or an image of the vehicle or man will help with the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to call (208) 529-1200.

IDAHO FALLS — A Rexburg man who robbed an Idaho Falls gas station pleaded guilty Monday as part of a plea agreement.

Gilberto Mendoza, 27, was arrested for burglary and robbery and taken to the Bonneville County Jail on Aug. 10. His guilty plea means he won’t need the jury trial, which was scheduled for Dec. 10.

“I know what I did was wrong,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza robbed the Maverik at 1520 West Sunnyside Road. He wrote a note to the cashier demanding $20 of gas. (The amount was reported earlier as $30.)

He showed the cashier a knife and told him to pump the gas. Idaho State Police and Idaho Falls Police said he also took some cash.

RELATED | New information released on gas station robbery, police pursuit

He filled his car up, left Maverik, and a high-speed chase on Interstate 15 ensued. In Jefferson County, spike strips slowed his vehicle and police stopped him with a pit maneuver. Officers subdued him with a Taser.

As part of the plea agreement, charges of assault or battery upon certain personnel/officer and fleeing or attempt to elude a police officer in a motor vehicle were dropped.

His sentencing is set for Jan. 21 at 2 p.m.

“I’m ready to go to prison as soon as possible,” Mendoza said. “I’m tired of being in the county.”

IDAHO FALLS — A man has been accused of abusing a young girl repeatedly when she was around 9 years old.

Asuncion Fernando Garcia-Tapia, 52, of Idaho Falls, was arrested Nov. 22, on one count of felony lewd conduct with a minor under 16. Garcia is accused of sexually touching a young girl repeatedly around six years ago. The now-15-year-old victim came forward about the alleged abuse after seeing Garcia at her birthday party.

According to court documents, the victim said Garcia allegedly watched her go to the bathroom, rubbed his body against hers, exposed himself in front of her, masturbated in front of her and touched her sexually.

She told investigators when she was in those situations, she was too afraid to leave because she thought he would get mad at her.

According to court documents, years before the victim told her family about what Garcia allegedly did to her, her family had some sort of falling out with Garcia, and his family so he was no longer able to be around the victim.

When the victim saw Garcia and his wife at her 15th birthday party, she told investigators that she felt uneasy and told her friends that she didn’t like that he was there.

Documents don’t indicate when the victim told her family what Garcia allegedly did, but Bonneville County Deputies were notified in May.

Documents say, investigators tried to set up a time to meet with Garcia but were only able to speak to him over the phone. He told them his attorney advised him not to speak to law enforcement. He also asked why the allegations were being brought up six years after they allegedly happened.

Investigators told Garcia that it is not uncommon for victims to not come forward right away.

EastIdahoNews.com was able to discover that Garcia has been a guest speaker at a local church on various occasions.

A warrant for Garcia’s arrest was issued on Nov. 20 and he was taken into custody just days later. He posted his $50,000 bond was released to pretrial services.

He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 6.

Lewd conduct with a minor under 16 carries a maximum punishment of up to life prison.

TOOELE, Utah (KSL.com) — Detectives have found a man’s body inside a deep freezer in a Tooele, Utah apartment where a 75-year-old woman died. Tooele police say the man’s body could have been inside the freezer for up to 11 years.

Authorities responded to the Remington Park Apartments on Friday for a welfare check on the woman and found her dead, according to Tooele Police Sgt. Jeremy Hansen. Detectives were searching the unit when they found a deep freezer with a man’s body inside, he said.

The woman, identified as Jeanne Souron-Mathers, had not been seen in several weeks and police don’t suspect foul play in her death. There were no obvious signs of trauma to her body, Hansen added.

However, police do suspect foul play was involved in the man’s death. The man was essentially frozen, making it difficult for investigators to see if there were any signs of trauma on his body. Police were waiting for the medical examiner’s findings to determine his cause of death.

Hansen said the man’s body could have been inside the freezer from anywhere between 1 ½ to 11 years.

Investigators do not yet know who the man is. No other information about the investigation was immediately available Monday.

RIGBY — A Jefferson County man was given probation Monday for threatening another man with a gun over a cattle dispute.

Andrew L. Clark, 28, was sentenced to three years of probation for felony aggravated assault and was ordered to undergo anger management treatment. Clark entered an Alford plea in August as part of a plea agreement that dropped the use of deadly weapon enhancement charge.

An Alford plea is a guilty plea where the defendant acknowledges that a jury would likely find them guilty based on the evidence but maintains that they did not commit the crime.

“I want to say sorry for this situation and affecting the lives of the people that were involved,” Clark said during sentencing.

Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Butikofer said they are willing to work with Clark and his attorney in case his probation conflicts with his military service.

“I’m hoping you can get through this without it affecting your military service,” District Judge Stevan Thompson said during the hearing.

As part of the conditions of probation, Thompson ordered Clark to undergo anger management treatment.

“It is a very disturbing thing that happened. I appreciate the fact that you have a lot of support, that you’ve served the country and I thank you for that. But that doesn’t excuse what happened here. In fact, it almost made it more aggravating. That you, with the kind of firearms training you have, would ever think that it’s necessary to take a gun out when there are cows in your yard,” Thompson said.

Police reports show on April 1, an employee of Fosters Land and Cattle received word that cattle were out and he went to the area to retrieve the animals, according to court documents. The employee found the cows and then encountered Clark. The employee told police Clark said the following:

“Andrew said to (the employee), ‘Get these f****** cows off my property or we will have more problems. Get these f****** cows out of here, or else I’ll start flinging lead. I’ll drop them. You have 10 f****** minutes to get these f****** cows off my f****** property, or they will be full of holes,'” court documents state.

The employee said Clark then pointed a gun at his face.

When police interviewed Clark he told them a different story and has maintained that his version of events is the truth.

In his statement, Clark said he saw the cows enter the property, and contacted the owners to come retrieve them. He admitted telling the employee that he would shoot the cows if they weren’t removed. During an encounter with the employee, Clark said he told the ranch hands that he had nothing against them.

No shots were fired during the incident.

“Regardless of how you held the gun or anything of that nature. Just the fact that you would have that firearm out there because there were cattle on your yard is totally inexcusable,” Thompson said.

Thompson withheld judgment. Meaning, if Clark abides by the terms of probation, the conviction will not go onto his record.

ST. ANTHONY — An 18-year-old inmate of Juvenile Corrections Center in St. Anthony has died of apparent natural causes.

The youth was transported to Madison Memorial Hospital via ambulance Sunday at 12:35 p.m. for an unknown reason, according to a news release from the Idaho Department of Juvenile Corrections.

The youth was later transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 8:40 a.m. Monday.

IDOC spokesman Jeffrey Ray declined to release any further details about the individual.

An autopsy is planned to confirm his cause of death.

IDAHO FALLS — Police arrested an Idaho Falls man for asking a 14-year-old girl to send him nude photos.

The victim’s mother contacted police after discovering sexual conversations on Snapchat between 20-year-old Seth Cummings and her teenage daughter, according to court documents. Cummings is charged with felony enticing a child over the internet.

In an interview with Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce investigators, the girl said she believed she was in a relationship with Cummings. Investigators wrote in their report that Cummings wanted to visit her but his car was broken.

According to court documents, Cummings said the girl sent him 10 nude images upon request. He said the girl sent 40 additional images unsolicited.

A forensic evaluation of Cummings’ phone unveiled 103 photos of the victim in various stages of undress.

Cummings reportedly admitted to being in a relationship with the girl from February until the Snapchat messages stopped in April. Police uncovered several sexually explicit text messages between the victim and Cummings, according to police reports.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 6 at the Bonneville County Courthouse. If convicted, Cummings could spend up to 15 years in prison. He remains held in jail on $20,000 bail.

AMMON — The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents to lock their homes and vehicles this holiday season.

Deputies are investigating several attempted burglaries in various Ammon neighborhoods. Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Bryan Lovell said at least two suspects dressed in blue winter clothing were checking vehicle and residential doors and taking various items from those that were unlocked. He said the burglars got away with cash, some bank cards, and some electronic devices.

Despite the cold weather, Lovell said activity like this is common, especially during busy holiday weekends when people travel away from their residences and have valuables in their vehicles from shopping. The biggest deterrent for this type of activity is making sure vehicles, doors, and windows are locked at all times.

Utilizing yard lighting to illuminate the areas of your property can prevent a burglar from attempting to make a concealed entrance into your garage, house or vehicle. It’s also good practice to keep valuables and merchandise out of view or hidden in the trunk or other difficult to reach areas of a vehicle or building. Security systems like video doorbells, cameras, and alarms are also a deterrent and should be checked and tested on a regular basis, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

Deputies also encourage neighbors to talk to each other and communicate about what they are seeing. Lovell also says residents should report suspicious activity to law enforcement.

In Bonneville County you can report criminal or suspicious activity by calling dispatch at (208) 529-1200, or for emergencies by dialing 911. If you have information or knowledge of criminal activity, you can always contact dispatch to speak with a deputy or report anonymously through Crimestoppers by calling (208) 522-19183, or online at www.ifcrime.org.

CHALLIS — A judge ordered a man accused of killing a man nearly 40 years ago be committed to a state hospital as his competency comes into question.

According to court documents obtained by EastIdahoNews.com, last week, 86-year-old Walter James Mason was sent to State Hospital South in Blackfoot by Magistrate Judge James Barrett. Mason is charged with first-degree murder after he allegedly shot and killed Daniel Mason Woolley in the parking lot of the Sports Club bar in Challis. Another victim in the Sept. 22, 1980 shooting was shot in the shoulder.

RELATED | 86-year-old man arrested in Texas for allegedly killing person nearly 40 years ago in Idaho

Authorities looked for Mason for nearly four decades while he was living under the alias Walter James Allison in Eastland County, Texas, according to a post on Custer County Sheriff Stu Lumpkin’s Facebook page.

In the court order of commitment, Barrett suspended legal proceedings for Mason because of his lack of fitness, incapability to assist in his defense and lacking the capability to make informed decisions about treatment.

Under Idaho law, judges can commit defendants to the custody of the Department of Health and Welfare if they deem them unfit for trial. A defendant can be committed for up to 90 days before additional measures are taken. Committing a defendant like Mason to a facility like Blackfoot South is to provide treatment to restore competency before trial.

Mason’s next court appearance remains in the air until further mental competency determinations are made. He has yet to make an appearance for a preliminary hearing.

(CNN) — When police were called to make sure a Utah woman was OK, officers found her dead and her husband’s body inside a freezer.

Jeanne Souron-Mathers was found dead last week at her Tooele City apartment. A maintenance worker who was concerned about her well-being called police, saying he had not seen the 75-year-old woman for about two weeks, police said.

As a detective searched the apartment for any clues about Souron-Mather’s death, he discovered a man’s body inside a chest freezer, Tooele City police said in a statement Monday.

The man was the woman’s husband, Paul Edward Mathers, 69, police said. “At this time, foul play is suspected and the case is in the early stages of investigation,” police said.

The man’s body was “fully intact” and police believe he could have been inside the deep freezer for at least a year and a half, but possibly up to a maximum of 11 years. It’s unclear how authorities determined that time frame.

CNN has attempted to reach family members.

The cause of death for both has not yet been determined.

There were no apparent signs of trauma on Souron-Mathers’ body and authorities are awaiting toxicology results, police said.

But the husband’s death remains the biggest mystery. While he was identified by his fingerprints, police say the medical examiner could not help detectives narrow down when he died.

Police say they are looking into Mathers’ financial records, including his Veteran Affairs and Social Security checks, in hopes to determine where the payments were sent and whether they ever stopped.

RIGBY — A man who tried to strangle a young relative will spend one year on a rider.

Alexander Berberian, 19, was recently sentenced to 12 years years in prison with five years fixed and seven years indeterminate for attempting to strangle an 11-year-old relative. District Judge Stevan Thompson retained jurisdiction and sent Berberian on a one-year rider program to undergo mental health treatment.

A rider is when a judge sends a person to prison for up to a year to undergo different treatment programs including mental health and drug abuse treatment. When the individual has completed the program the judge can then decide to send them back to prison to complete their sentence or release them on probation.

“I just want to say I’m sorry. I’m sorry for hurting my family and especially (the victim). I realize my actions have caused a lot of pain and hurt the people I care about most,” Berberian said during the sentencing hearing.

Berberian was arrested on July 29, after law enforcement received the report he’d attacked the 11-year-old victim.

The victim told investigators Berberian got on top of her and started choking her. Court documents indicate he had brought a knife to kill the victim if she screamed and a taser to use on anyone that might catch him in her room.

However, when the victim managed to scream, he fled the room and dropped the knife and taser on the floor.

Berberian went to a friend’s house and asked the friend to call the police. When law enforcement arrived, Berberian admitted to the crime and he was taken into custody.

RELATED | Man allegedly attempted to strangle 11-year-old in her bedroom

Berberian told police he was mad at the victim’s family and that he had thought about strangling the 11-year-old every day for a month. He told investigators he picked her because “he saw her as an easy target.”

Jefferson County Prosecutor Paul Butikofer said Berberian is described as a narcissist in his psychological evaluation.

“He blamed the family and others that took him in,” Butikofer said during the hearing. “He’s deflecting responsibility, which is what narcissists do.”

Butikofer said the presentence investigation shows before Berberian attacked the victim, she was happy, bright, talkative and creative. Now, she is struggling with social anxiety, she has difficulty sleeping, she’s sensitive to noise, she blames herself for what happened and is afraid of strangers.

“She’s scared of strangers because she believes they’ll be like (Berberian) and love her but then hurt her,” Butikofer quoted from the investigation report.

Berberian’s attorney John Stosich said Berberian was taken into child protective services at a young age due to neglect and abandonment and put into foster care.

“Until (his adoptive family) took Alex in and made him part of their family, he never really had an opportunity to become anything but egocentric,” Stosich said.

Stosich went on to emphasize the need Berberian has for mental health treatment.

“I don’t think Alex is without redemption,” Stosich said.

Thompson said a couple of the factors he considered while determining the sentence were Berberian’s age and his ability to be rehabilitated.

“The bottom line is, Mr. Berberian, you need some help and assistance. Whatever the court does today it’s not going to be intended so much for punishment as it is towards trying to do what we can to assist you to get you moving forward in your life in a positive direction,” Thompson said.

Thompson went on to say he would not usually place someone on a rider for such a violent crime, but chose to retain jurisdiction because of his age.

“Regardless of what you have been going through in your life, you’re going to have to take responsibility. I’m hoping you’re in the right frame of mind and that you take advantage of what’s being offered to you rather than going and turning this into a prison sentence,” Thompson said.

The following is a news release from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.

On Nov. 30, at approximately 6:15 p.m., Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a disturbance in the 200 block of North Contor Ave. where a female was reporting her husband had possibly shot himself.

Deputies made contact with the female at a nearby business where she advised that while inside the residence on Contor Ave., her husband, 27-year-old Justin M. Olson, arrived and an argument ensued. The female advised that Mr. Olson would not allow her to leave and at one point held a small knife to her throat while making threats to kill himself.

A few moments later Mr. Olson moved away from the door and the female was able to run outside to get away, during which time she heard what sounded like a gunshot come from the inside of the residence. The female advised she was unsure whether or not Mr. Olson fired the shot toward her or at himself as she was leaving.

Deputies arrived at the residence and located Mr. Olson outside and unharmed. At that time, Mr. Olson admitted to deputies there was an argument, and after the female left he grabbed his pistol fired it while inside the residence as he contemplated suicide. Mr. Olson told Deputies he did have possession of the knife in question but claimed it was not used or displayed during the altercation.

Mr. Olson was placed under arrest at that time and transported to the Bonneville County Jail where he was booked for felony aggravated assault and misdemeanor disturbing the peace.