‘My heart sank.’ Witnesses recall events leading to Eilander’s arrest during 3rd day of murder trial
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UPDATE: Idaho Falls jury finds Jake Eilander not guilty of murder
IDAHO FALLS – More details were revealed about Jake Eilander’s arrest on the third day of his second-degree murder trial on Thursday.
Eilander is accused of killing 44-year-old Ulises Rangel behind Planet Fitness in Idaho Falls. The investigation into Eilander started after Rangel was found shot to death by a passerby in March 2022. Police later obtained video footage that showed an argument between Rangel and Eilander. Eilander was later found at an Idaho Falls home, where officers also found a loaded handgun with ammunition consistent with evidence found at the scene.
Thursday’s proceedings focused mainly on Eilander’s arrest and the circumstances leading to police finding him in a friend’s garage.
Many witnesses testified, including Chad Claxton, a current inmate at the Bonneville County Jail and long-time friend of Eilander.
“I freaked out.”
Claxton told the court that his then-girlfriend, Kim Laker, came to him around the time of the murder and told him that Eilander “had shot and killed somebody.”
“My heart sank, and I was like, ‘Oh no,'” said Claxton. “‘I wish you hadn’t told me that.’ I freaked out. I didn’t know what to do. I went over every scenario in my head.”
Claxton says he and Laker then went to her apartment and discovered Eilander in the garage. Claxton says he then called dispatch.
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“I felt like there was a person that was dead, and that person that was dead, you know, he’s brother, he’s a son. I didn’t know, but I felt like his family deserved to know what happened,” said Claxton. “I was deathly afraid because I was forced to take polygraphs on parole, and if they thought I’d helped a murderer, they’d take me to prison, and I’d never get out. So I felt the only choice I had was to call the cops.”
The jury then heard the 911 call from Claxton, naming Eilander as a person who had shot and killed someone earlier that day and was now in Laker’s garage. Laker was also friends with Eilander.
According to the call, Brandy Carlson, Eilander’s girlfriend, was with him in the garage.
The next to testify Thursday was Capt. Jeremy Galbreaith with the Idaho Falls Police Department.
Galbreaith responded to arrest Eilander at the garage and said while waiting outside the garage, he heard a female voice say, “Hello?” a few times before officers decided to go into the garage.
“I heard the deadbolt on the door click, and the door started opening. From the angle I was at, I couldn’t see who was at the door or identify them,” said Galbreaith. “I saw the door trying to shut again, so I put my foot out and kicked the door to keep it open. At that point, I saw a female standing in the doorway with her hands up, and there was a male seated behind her on the garage floor.”
Galbreaith said officers grabbed the woman, pulled her away from the garage door, and pointed their guns at Eilander. Galbreaith said Eilander complied and was handcuffed. Officers found a gun hidden in a plastic box behind where Eilander had been sitting.
Jurors also saw bodycam footage from the incident that showed the arrest and Eilander being put in a police car.
They also heard from multiple people who said they saw Eilander as he was running shirtless from the shooting, both on Ring footage cameras and business security footage.
Proceedings then switched to evidence found on Rangels’ body, with the jury hearing from Idaho Falls Police detective Steve Avery.
Avery testified in the afternoon, showing the jury a large black object found near the body.
“It appears to be a large panel, like a solar panel,” said Avery.
It is unclear why the solar panel was there.
Detective David Shaner with the Idaho Falls Police Department testified as well, showing the jury a live round he reportedly took out of Carlson’s purse after her boyfriend was arrested.
Dr. Garth Warren, a forensic pathologist with the Ada County Coroner’s office, showed the jury multiple graphic autopsy photos of Rangel.
Eilander often glanced at the autopsy photos but remained emotionless.
The defense then tried to admit photos as evidence of various tattoos on Rangel’s body, which the prosecution objected to.
“There is no foundation for why this would be relevant.”
Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal said the defense only wanted to show the tattoos to imply that Rangel may have participated in violent gang activity.
“There is certainly nothing on these (security footage) videos that show his tattoos,” said Neal. “There is no foundation for why this would be relevant. It’s an obvious attempt to disparage the reputation of the victim that he was some kind of nefarious character.”
Judge Stevan Thompson denied the motion to admit the tattoo photos into evidence, stating that Eilander would have had to see the tattoos at the time of the shooting to make any kind of assumption that Rangel might have been involved with a gang.
Rangel had taken off a hoodie before he was shot. Still, most of his tattoos were not visible since they were on his torso.
Thompson said not all violent people had tattoos, and tattoos didn’t make people violent, so he could not allow the defense to imply that to the jury.
“It’s an assumption as to what tattoos may or may not mean,” says Thompson. “Prejudice would be presented in that regard. Under the circumstances, this is simply not something that the court can allow you to present.”
Court proceedings are scheduled to resume on Friday at 9 am.