Man appears in court after being accused of aiding and abetting murder
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IDAHO FALLS — A 61-year-old man appeared in court Tuesday morning regarding the murder of 36-year-old Morey Pelton.
Gerald Hamlin of Puyallup, Washington was indicted by a grand jury and then arrested on Feb. 8.
Hamlin has been charged with felony principal to first-degree murder, felony accessory to first-degree murder, and felony destruction, alteration or concealment of evidence.
He appeared in a Bonneville County courtroom wearing a jumpsuit and shackles to be arraigned in front of District Judge Bruce Pickett.
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If convicted, he could face up to life in prison or receive the death penalty.
“As you know, the potential penalty in what we will be discussing…is up to potential death,” Pickett said to Hamlin.
Hamlin’s attorney, John Thomas, addressed Pickett.
“We will ask the court to appoint James Archibald. He is the first chair certified on death penalty. The statute requires that we have two competent death penalty-certified attorneys. I am a second chair certified attorney and I ask the court to appoint James Archibald as the first chair,” Thomas said.
Pickett approved.
Under state law, the Bonneville County Prosecutor’s Office now has 60 days to give notice of the intent to seek the death penalty.
Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal told EastIdahoNews.com that no decision has been made yet as to whether the death penalty will be sought or not.
“The court wants to give the state time to review information and make an informed decision…,” Pickett said.
Hamlin pleaded not guilty to all three felony counts.
A status conference is scheduled for April 16 at 10 a.m. at the Bonneville County Courthouse.
Background
Morey Pelton’s body was found on May 13, 2022, at the Lane Clark Rest Area along U.S. Highway 26 between Ririe and Swan Valley.
According to Neal, Pelton was found dead from a single gunshot wound.
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Randy Larkin was indicted on July 14, 2022, on one count of first-degree murder in the case.
The next day, he was arrested at a residence in Chubbuck and taken to the Bonneville County Jail, where he was booked on a $1 million bond. Larkin pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Because both Larkin and Hamlin’s indictments are sealed, little information about the investigation is known to the public.
EastIdahoNews.com does know that Hamlin’s indictment alleges he knew that Larkin killed Pelton and did not tell police.
It also alleges he “did willfully destroy text message(s) between the defendant and another suspect, knowing that the text message(s) were about to be produced, used or discovered as evidence.”
Larkin’s jury trial is currently scheduled for Nov. 12.
Though Larkin and Hamlin have been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean they committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.