Motel manager charged after allegedly threatening man with his life to kill brother

BLACKFOOT — A man says he was threatened with his life to kill his own brother by the manager of a Blackfoot motel.

The victim told police that he went to the Y Motel to pick up some belongings around 9 p.m. Thursday, June 11. When he arrived, the manager, 50-year-old Shawn Petersen, invited the victim to the housing/office space to barbecue. After everyone else left, the victim said Petersen punched him in the chest, according to an affidavit of probable caused obtained by EastIdahoNews.com.

Over the next 30 minutes, Petersen expressed anger to the victim that his brother and mother were spreading rumors that he was a drug dealer. Petersen reportedly punched the victim multiple times.

When another person arrived at the hotel, Petersen allegedly told the victim to leave but then come back or else he would kill his family. The victim listened and returned out of fear for his family, according to court documents.

Once the victim returned, Petersen allegedly told the victim to kill his brother and record it. According to the probable cause, Petersen repeatedly told the victim over the next several hours that if he did not kill his brother, he would kill him, his brother and their mother.

“Shawn (Petersen) stated specifically that he would kill (the victim), place him in a tub of acid, cut out his organs and sell his organs on the black market for thousands of dollars,” court documents read.

At one point during the incident, Petersen racked a handgun and pointed it at the victim.

The attack was caught on the motel’s surveillance video, and deputies wrote two men, later identified as Shawn A. Cochran, 30, and Cory J. Hall, 45, showed up at the motel. At one point in the attack, detectives wrote that Hall jammed a handgun into the ribs of the victim.

Court documents allege Cochran participated in the attack by beating the victim on the head.

The attack left the victim with a 3-inch gash and swelling over his eye. He went to Bingham Memorial Hospital for his injuries, and that is where he spoke with detectives.

The investigation led police to speak with another man who said Petersen threatened him with a gun to sell marijuana on June 2.

The second victim admitted to police that he went to the motel to purchases $20 of marijuana from Petersen. After measuring an ounce of weed, Petersen reportedly asked the second victim to sell it for him.

When the second victim did not want to get involved in selling drugs, he told police Petersen pulled a handgun and began threatening him.

With the reports of the two incidents involving the Y Motel and Petersen, police obtained a search warrant for the housing/office space on Friday.

Inside a garage, detectives said they found a large red duffel bag holding almost 2 pounds of marijuana. The search also uncovered an ATV stolen from Aberdeen.

During an interview with Petersen at the Bingham County Jail, he denied ever laying hands on the victim. He called the garage where they found the duffle bag a “common area” and said it was not his.

Petersen is charged with felony attempted second-degree murder by trying to coerce the victim into killing his brother. He is also charged with felony assault with intent to murder, grand theft, possession of marijuana, aggravated assault and misdemeanor battery.

Cochran is charged with felony second-degree kidnapping, aggravated battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Hall is charged with felony second-degree kidnapping and aggravated assault.

Bail is set at $100,000 for each of the three suspects. Preliminary hearings are scheduled for later this month.