Two men allegedly killed roommate
Pocatello, Idaho
Two men accused of murdering their roommate and burying his body in a shallow grave at a remote Oregon campground will face a preliminary hearing on second-degree murder charges this month.
District Judge Michael Reardon told Jason Paul Huff, 25, and Timothy Allen Colucci, 24, in court on Friday that their preliminary hearing would be moved to April 19.
The pair allegedly killed their roommate, Nathan Fries, 23, last month. Police arrested the men after they led detectives to a body buried in a campground near Baker County, Meridian Police Lt. Bob Stowe said.
The three men grew up together in Pocatello before moving to Boise. Fries and Colucci attended Highland High School and had reportedly known each other since grade school. Huff attended rival Pocatello High School.
Fries had been missing since March 6. His father, Michael Fries, filed a missing persons report when his son missed work on March 14. Police allegedly found evidence of foul play when they investigated the Meridian home the three men shared that day. Fries bought the home in December and let the pair move in.
Family members suspect the altercation arose from a fight about rent money.
Stowe said the two men allegedly told detectives they killed Fries during a fight at the home and then took the body to Oregon.
The preliminary hearing will be held at the Ada County Courthouse in Boise before Magistrate Judge Ronald Hart of Soda Springs.
Both are being held on $1 million bail.
Officials: Micron exec’s injury due to pilot error
Boise
Pilot error caused a plane crash that injured Micron Technology Chairman Steve Appleton when his stunt plane crashed in the desert east of Boise last year, federal officials say.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined Appleton was too close to the ground as he flew loops.
He was flying with Micron employee Michael Duffy when the plane crashed south of the state prison complex. Duffy was photographing Appleton for an upcoming corporate presentation.
The plane in the accident was an Extra 300L, a single-engine, two-passenger craft.
A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman in Seattle said no enforcement action would be taken against Appleton.
Micron Technology, which manufactures computer memory chips and other electronic products, is the state’s largest private employer.
University’s Grand Concert Hall debuts
Pocatello, Idaho
The largest venue in Idaho State University’s Stephens Performing Arts Center is now open.
Thirteen musical performances marked the grand opening of the Joseph C. and Cheryl H. Jensen Grand Concert Hall on Friday, including a guest appearance by pop songstress Carole King.
“Tonight you are sitting in what can only be described as the culmination of a dream,” said master of ceremonies Gov. Dirk Kempthorne. “Pocatello, get ready, the world is coming to visit.”
A longtime Bengal Foundation board member, Jensen said he and his wife, Cheryl, visited the concert hall early in its construction and decided then they wanted to be a part of it.
Musical acts included Portneuf Brass, the ISU Jazz Band, bluegrass band The Wild Coyotes and Steve Eaton, who wrote songs for Paul Simon and Art Garfunkle, among others.
The university’s L.E. and Thelma E. Stephens Performing Arts Center had a tumultuous beginning. Lawmakers made an informal commitment in 1999 that it would cover the center’s startup and operational costs once it was built – if the university used only private donations to build the center.
But they balked on providing funding until this year when the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee recommended giving the new Idaho State University facility $378,900 for occupancy costs.
K9 deputy retires from Canyon Co. force
Boise
A well-known deputy that has served with the Canyon County Sheriff’s office for the past seven years has retired.
K9 deputy Basco, a 9-year-old Belgian Malinois, is best known for his capture of serial murder suspect Michael “Cowboy Mike” Braae in July 2001 after a high-speed chase ended at the Idaho/Oregon border. Braae abandoned his pickup and jumped into the Snake River.
Malheur County Sheriff Andy Bentz said Braae’s capture would have been more dangerous without Basco.
“Had it not been for him and the handler being there and being able to get on the boat, we would have had to use a lot higher level of force,” Bentz said.
Basco and his handler Cpl. Paul Maund hopped a boat to follow Braae. Maund attached a towline to the dog and pushed him in the water to chase after the suspect. Basco bit onto Braae’s back, and Maund was able to pull the two to shore.
The incident could have ended badly for Basco, Maund said. Braae had pushed the dog underwater and Maund had to tug on the towline to get him out from under his grip.
Maund said retirement might not be easy for Basco because he’s worked as for the sheriff’s office most of his life – tracking missing people, sniffing out narcotics and apprehending suspects.
Maund said he got a lukewarm reception after leaving Basco home a few days this month.
“When I got home, he was lying under a tree. I called to him. He looked at me and turned his head away,” Maund said. “It’s going to be a big transition for him.”
The Sheriff’s Office threw a retirement part for Basco Saturday. Meanwhile Maund is working with Basco’s replacement, another Belgian Malinois named Darco.
Basco will live out his retirement as a pet for Maund’s family.