Idaho Falls 4th Street murder suspect talks about victim’s death in jail video call
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IDAHO FALLS – The suspect of a 4th Street home invasion that left a 51-year-old man dead reportedly spoke to multiple people about the alleged murder in a newly released jail video call.
During a preliminary hearing on April 23, prosecutors played a redacted version of a phone call between Lance Broncho, 23, and his mother, plus a video call between Broncho and two unidentified friends shortly after Broncho was booked into the Bonneville County Jail.
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Broncho was bound over to district court during the hearing and is charged with first-degree murder, felony aggravated battery, felony robbery, felony burglary, felony unlawful possession of a firearm, and two felony enhancements for the use of a deadly weapon in commission of a felony. He is currently being held without bond.
Both jail calls were obtained by EastIdahoNews.com, showing Broncho finding out the man he allegedly shot, Eric Leask, had died and was an apparent “family friend.”
Phone call between Broncho and his mother
Listen to the phone call below.
During the phone call with his mother, Broncho allegedly learned Leask died.
“Are you aware that you killed an innocent man?” Broncho’s mother asks in the audio call.
She also tells Broncho the man he allegedly shot was friends with his sister. Police say Broncho was attempting to rob a house in search of marijuana but robbed the wrong house.
Broncho claims in the call he didn’t shoot anyone.
The phone call appears incomplete because a section of the audio was redacted by prosecutors.
Video call between Broncho and two friends
Watch the video call in the player above.
Broncho also spoke to two unidentified friends on a video call, and tells them that he was surprised to learn the man killed was a “family friend.” Broncho video called them to using the Telmate system, an inmate communication system used in many jails across the country to connect incarcerated people with their family and friends.
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“Guess who (?) killed? A family friend of mine,” says Broncho. “They’re my family friend. They’re my sister’s friend. It just get’s weirder and weirder.”
The friends sound concerned, and tell Broncho they spoke to his family.
Broncho then says he needs to “talk on a secure line” so he can tell the friends “what really happened” before the video ends.
Background
According to court documents, an Idaho Falls Police detective was called around 9 p.m. on March 9 to investigate a shooting on the 100 block of 4th Street.
A woman who lives at the home said she and Leask woke up to the sounds of an “unknown suspect breaking in their front door.”
The man, later identified as Broncho, was reportedly physically fighting with the woman’s son. Leask jumped in to help defend the son.
The woman said Broncho had a gun and “face tattoos near his eyes.” She told the detective she saw him shoot the gun multiple times.
In an interview with detectives, the son said he was playing video games in his bedroom when he heard a knock at the door and “loud banging.”
Broncho entered the house and saw the son in the living room. The son said Broncho was wearing “a mask and dark clothing,” was armed with a handgun, and yelled, “Give me everything!”
Both Leask and the son tried to “overpower” Broncho, but he was able to shoot the gun “several times,” hitting the son in the leg and hand and Leask in the shoulder/chest area.
According to the son, he gave a “cased 9 mm FN firearm to (Broncho) to get him to leave.” Broncho then ran from the home, but the residents told the detective they believed Broncho was also injured.
Both Leask and the son were transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center by Idaho Falls ambulance.
Leask later died from his injuries. The son was later discharged.
Hours later, police learned of a man who had been “shot in the hand and requested help from a friend to get the bullet out of his hand and assist him in getting out of the area,” according to police reports.
Around 11 p.m., investigators found Broncho at the Teton Mesa Apartments on 885 Lomax Street.
Two of the people in the apartment initially refused to come out, starting a standoff with the SWAT team. A “chemical irritant” was introduced into the apartment, according to court documents, and Broncho surrendered.
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When taken into custody, he still had a bullet in his hand, so he was taken to EIRMC for treatment.
At the hospital, Broncho allegedly told officers that earlier in the evening, he had gone to the house to get marijuana.
According to police reports Broncho admitted he had “been involved” at the house in a disturbance, where he had been shot.
The Idaho Falls Police Department says they believe Broncho targeted the wrong house.
“At this time, it does not appear that Broncho had any connection to knowledge of the residents that would support his assumption that he could obtain marijuana from them,” says the release. “At this time, investigators believe that Broncho mistakenly targeted the house.”
At the time of the home invasion, Broncho was on federal supervised release and had an active felony warrant.
He is expected to appear in court for a district court arraignment on May 13. If convicted, he could face the death penalty or 10 years to life in prison.