Idaho Falls jury finds Jake Eilander not guilty of murder
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IDAHO FALLS — A man accused of second-degree murder was found not guilty by a jury Wednesday night.
Over the past week and a half, Jake Eilander, 37, has been on trial for the killing of 44-year-old Ulises Rangel behind Planet Fitness in Idaho Falls in March 2022. While investigating the shooting death of Rangel, police obtained video footage that showed an argument between Rangel and Eilander.
Police learned after the shooting, Eilander had left the scene. He was later found at an Idaho Falls home, where officers found a loaded handgun with ammunition consistent with the evidence at the scene.
After an extensive investigation, Eilander’s trial started Monday, April 10. Links to complete coverage of the trial are at the bottom of this article.
RELATED | Jury deliberates in Jake Eilander murder trial after closing arguments
The defense and prosecution rested Wednesday following closing arguments at around 1:30 p.m. Jury members then deliberated for several hours to reach a verdict. Court was back in session at 7 p.m.
A clerk read the verdict that the jury had found Eilander not guilty. There was a sense of relief for some in the audience watching the trial. Some had tears rolling down their face. Eilander, along with his attorneys, smiled and hugged each other.
Eilander described his perspective of the shooting incident in court Tuesday saying he was with his girlfriend, Brandy Carlson, at the parking lot behind Planet Fitness, where he parked his truck. He told the jury that a man, later identified as Rangel, aggressively approached them. He then explained the confrontation that led to him firing a single gunshot that killed Rangel. Click here to read what Eilander had to say.
“I was just scared out of my mind…” Eilander said about the incident.
RELATED | Idaho Falls man accused of murder testifies, ‘I was scared out of my mind’
“This is simply the type of case that needed to go to trial and the jury has heard the evidence and made their decision,” District Judge Stevan Thompson said. “Counsel, thank you for your time and effort in this case.”
Eilander’s defense team said the verdict was a relief.
“I think it’s important to know that we believe in Jake from the start. This is the way we hoped it would end the whole time. We are thankful for the jury, we are thankful for the court. Mr. Sosa put a lot of work into it,” said Jordan Crane, one of Eilander’s defense attorneys.
The trial has been a long process. Eilander originally started a trial in November 2022, but that was vacated after he and several court personnel became sick with COVID-19. The trial was ultimately rescheduled for last week.
“I think there were some twists in the road…I think sometimes the process is what the process is but we would have preferred to have had the opportunity to bring Jake’s story out much sooner at a preliminary hearing and at an earlier trial,” defense attorney Alexander Sosa explained to EastIdahoNews.com.
Sosa said he is happy with the outcome. Eilander will walk away a free man, but Sosa explained this isn’t a situation where he will walk out of this with nothing.
“He just has a lot of baggage from this and that’s something that was kind of always discussed. I think that I have spent a lot of late nights at the jail probably 20 to 30 late nights…just nights after work and a lot of times, it’s just tears of trying to process what’s happened,” Sosa said.
Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal said he was disappointed with the verdict.
“Obviously we’re disappointed with the verdict, but we were able to get all of our evidence before the jury to paint as complete a picture as possible. That is all that the state can do. We respect that the jury must then make the ultimate decision,” Neal told EastIdahoNews.com.
The judge addressed Eilander before he walked out of the courtroom with deputies for his release.
“Mr. Eilander, based upon the jury’s verdict, the bond will be exonerated. You will be released from custody. The charge against you is dismissed,” Thompson said.
For complete coverage of the trial read the following stories:
- Jury deliberates in Jake Eilander murder trial after closing arguments
- Idaho Falls man accused of murder testifies, ‘I was scared out of my mind’
- Prosecutor questions girlfriend’s testimony in murder trial
- ‘My heart sank.’ Witnesses recall events leading to Eilander’s arrest during 3rd day of murder trial
- Second trial begins for man accused of murder behind Planet Fitness
For previous coverage of the Eilander case read the following stories: