Man accused of murder accepts second plea deal following more felony charges
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IDAHO FALLS – A man charged with first-degree murder has been given a second plea deal for more felony charges stemming from alleged incidents in the Bonneville County Jail.
Lance Broncho, 23, pleaded guilty for the second time on Monday to first-degree murder in the death of 51-year-old Eric Leask and felony aggravated battery using a deadly weapon, according to a news release from Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal.
Broncho accepted a plea agreement in which he agreed to plead guilty to those charges in exchange for the prosecution taking the death penalty off the table and dropping the remaining charges of felony robbery, burglary, unlawful possession of a firearm, and two enhancements for the use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.
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Both the defense and prosecution will recommend life in prison. The defense will argue for a minimum of 25 years, and the prosecution will argue for a minimum of 35 years.
Broncho was also recently charged with three counts of felony assault or battery upon certain personnel and four counts of felony major contraband in a correctional facility. Neal says there is no agreement to solve these charges.
Broncho is scheduled to be sentenced for the murder charges on Oct. 7 in front of District Judge Michael Whyte.
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 lived at the home said she and Leask woke up to an “unknown suspect breaking in their front door.”
Broncho reportedly started fighting with the woman’s son, and Leask jumped in to defend him.
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.
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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.
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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 discharged.
At the time of the home invasion, Broncho was on federal supervised release and had an active felony warrant.
Past cases
In July 2020, a grand jury indicted Broncho for federal felony assault causing serious injury for stabbing a man in the stomach on the Fort Hall reservation. He was sentenced to 40 months in jail.
Broncho was convicted again in April 2021 of felony assault resulting in serious bodily injury on the Fort Hall reservation.
In Nov. 2023, Broncho was arrested and charged with felony aggravated battery after allegedly attacking another man with a baseball bat. According to Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal, the charges were dismissed due to a lack of evidence from witnesses.