Rest stop murder trial begins in Bonneville County
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IDAHO FALLS — The murder trial for a suspect accused of killing a man at a rest stop near Ririe began in Bonneville County this week.
Randy Larkin, 59, was indicted on July 14, 2022, on one count of first-degree murder for the death of 36-year-old Morey Pelton.
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. Larkin is accused of shooting and killing him.
On Wednesday, Larkin walked into a Bonneville County courtroom dressed in a gray suit, with slicked-back hair and an oxygen tank.
Twelve jury members and three alternates — eight women and seven men — came into the courtroom after 9 a.m. as District Judge Bruce Pickett presided.
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The state of Idaho’s opening statements
Attorney Steven Haderlie with the Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office presented his opening statements, saying this case is all about “power, greed and pride,” and that’s why Larkin shot and killed a man.
Haderlie described a few weeks before the shooting, Larkin had given some money to Pelton and as the weeks went on, Pelton was not giving the money back.
Larkin was starting to become uneasy, and he wanted to know where that money was, Haderlie said.
He described that Larkin had talked to different people and wanted to know where Pelton was. Larkin said things like, “He has no idea what I am capable of,” Haderlie told the jury.
So what happened on May 12, 2022, the night of the shooting? Haderlie said a man named Kelly Hincks sent text messages to Pelton to meet up with him so he could buy some drugs from Pelton.
Hincks had suggested they meet at the rest area that night, and Pelton agreed, Haderlie said.
Larkin learned about the meet-up through his friend Hincks and decided to go to the rest area. However, Larkin did not go with Hincks. Haderlie said he rode with a friend named Gerald Hamlin. Hamlin drove while Larkin was in the passenger seat. They also picked up a friend named Billy “Buckskin” Burton.
On the drive to the rest area, Haderlie said there’s evidence of some conversation where Larkin is saying something to the effect of that he’s “going to beat Morey’s ass.”
Hincks arrived at the rest stop, and Pelton drove over to meet him. Larkin and his friends were there and followed.
Haderlie said Larkin got out of the vehicle he was in and walked over to where Hincks and Pelton were parked. Two witnesses — Hamlin and Buckskin heard Pelton’s words: “F*** you, Randy, what are you going to do? Shoot me?”
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Haderlie says a gunshot rang out.
“Larkin has fatally shot Pelton,” he said.
He told the jury that Larkin had gone back to the vehicle he was in and told Hamlin to drive it.
Pelton then dies in that parking lot and is discovered the following day.
Haderlie said Larkin told his friends to keep quiet about what had just happened. In particular, he said, “snitches, they find in ditches,” Haderlie told the jury.
He explained that multiple witnesses, including first responders, police at the crime scene, Pelton’s friends, Larkin’s friends, and daughter, along with other experts, would be brought to the stand.
“Our hope as the state, as the prosecutors … is by the time you have heard all of this evidence, you will agree that power, greed and pride caused Randy Larkin to shoot and kill Morey. Our hope is that you will find him guilty of murder,” Haderlie said.
The defense’s opening statements
Larkin’s attorney, Allen Browning, then took the podium and said this was not a murder, but self-defense.
He said the incident happened all over the course of a three-minute period. There are security cameras where the shooting took place.
“We know exactly how long it took, and it’s significant. The reason it is significant is because this was not an execution. This was not Randy Larkin going down, stopping and shooting somebody. He was going down to have a talk with Morey Pelton who did owe him money,” Browning said.
He added that Pelton was shot by a single bullet.
Browning talked about what happened before the shooting and how Pelton was engaged in the act of something that he was very familiar with. Pelton was selling methamphetamine to Hincks and had arranged the purchase.
Browning talked about what happened that night and said how Larkin wanted to talk to Pelton in person. Larkin had a gun with him because he was concerned that meeting with a drug dealer might be dangerous for him, Browning told the jury.
Larkin had gone up to Pelton’s vehicle window and began talking with him, but he could tell Pelton was high.
Browning said Larkin put his palm on the open window of Pelton’s car to make sure the door was shut. When he did that, Pelton saw the gun.
They argued, and eventually Larkin walked away, Browning said. Larkin said he could hear a smash behind him and looked to see what it was. Browning said Larkin saw Pelton had opened the vehicle door and got out to confront him.
“Randy shot him and believed that Morey had a gun in his hand. He saw something black and shiny,” Browning said in court. “Randy thought, ‘It’s either him or me,’ so he shot. And when he shot him, it shocked him. Everyone was shocked.”
Browning said Larkin panicked and just told everyone to get out of there. He said there wasn’t any ‘snitches wind up in ditches’ threat.
He said many people have asked why Larkin didn’t call 911, and it was because Larkin didn’t believe anyone would listen to the reason for self-defense.
After Pelton’s death, an autopsy was performed along with a drug screen. Browning said there was a very high level of methamphetamine found in Pelton’s blood at the time he was shot.
He told the jury that an expert would come to the witness stand and talk about it. The level in Pelton’s blood was 12.7 times the toxicity level, which is considered very high. The expert will talk about how it changed his behavior.
“The state wants to say this is all about greed. Randy knew where Morey kept his money … in his car. And after the shot rang out, he didn’t rifle through Morey’s belongings. He didn’t go into the car and get his money. He didn’t get Morey’s drugs. He just left. The whole thing was shocking to him,” Browning said.
What’s next:
After opening statements, several witnesses came to the stand on Wednesday, including the man who found Pelton’s body and called 911.
Hamlin and Buckskin are expected to take the stand. Hincks will not because he died earlier this year.
Hamlin was recently sentenced to a retained jurisdiction for his role in the killing.
Larkin’s trial is expected to last a total of two weeks.
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