Man dies after injuries sustained in home invasion last month
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REXBURG —- A Madison County man has died after spending over two weeks in an ICU because of injuries sustained in a home invasion.
Ralph Brian died Friday afternoon at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, according to his family. Brian and his wife Karen were rushed to EIRMC on Sept. 20 after a man reportedly attacked the couple and left them with serious injuries.
“Our dad was such a loving person who could hold a conversation with a complete stranger,” the Brian family said in a statement to EastIdahoNews.com. “He was such a patriot who loved his country, and family and the small town he grew up in. He died a hero saving our mom, and he left a legacy of love and unity. It has been so amazing to see the law enforcement, medical personal, first responders, and the community he loved surround us with love and support during such a difficult time. Our family will be forever grateful for that love and support, and will never forget how wonderful this place can truly be. There are no words that can express how humble and grateful we really are.”
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Karen was in fair condition, as of Sept. 21. An update on how she’s doing has not been provided. A GoFundMe created on the couple’s behalf has raised over $26,000, as of Saturday evening.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office reported in court documents that 18-year-old Pierre Lake allegedly shot Brian in the head and stabbed Karen multiple times. Lake reportedly told his brother hours before the shooting he was going “to go ‘cap’ somebody,” according to court documents.
Investigators found Lake at his Jefferson County home and took him into custody on Sept. 21. Lake told investigators he went into the Brian’s home and attacked Karen with a knife, stabbing her multiple times and shooting Brian “point-blank” with the man’s own revolver, according to a probable cause affidavit.
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Lake was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder, burglary and grand theft.
Court documents do not indicate a motive for the crime or whether Lake knew the Brians.
Throughout the investigation, the Sheriff’s Office has remained tight-lipped and declined to provide any additional information. We have also reached out to Madison County Prosecutor Rob Wood and will update this story if we receive a response.
A preliminary hearing for Lake is scheduled for Oct. 20 at the Madison County Courthouse.
Our attorneys tell us we need to put this disclaimer in stories involving fundraisers: EastIdahoNews.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries.