Trial delayed for man accused of killing Rexburg man, stabbing wife
Published at | Updated at
REXBURG – The jury trial has been delayed in the case of a man accused of attacking a Rexburg couple, killing the husband and stabbing his wife.
The trial for 19-year-old Pierre Lake is now scheduled to begin on Aug. 14. It was originally scheduled to start in July.
According to court documents, Lake’s defense team received new discovery items as recently as June 13.
Jim Archibald, Lake’s defense attorney, filed a motion this week to continue the trial and stated they were given 3,753 pages of medical reports in May along with 149 jail video visits and 96 recorded phone calls in June.
The motion claims “each jail video visit is 20 to 30 minutes long and the phone calls are about five minutes long.”
Lake previously waived his right to a speedy trial, and according to court documents, “the parties have made offers to settle the case and have not reached an agreement.”
The motion states that mediation and informal discussions between the court and counsel were attempted but did not settle the matter.
Also mentioned in the filing is the fact that the defense team previously filed motions to continue the case due to Lori Vallow Daybell’s sentencing on July 31. Archibald is the lead attorney in Daybell’s case.
Because both Lake and Vallow Daybell are being held in Madison County, Lake’s defense requested a one to two-month continuance so counsel can be “ready and prepared in his case.”
Background of the case
RELATED | Man charged with attempted murder following home invasion, bail set at $1 million
Court documents show Lake allegedly shot 65-year-old Ralph Brian in the head and stabbed Karen Brian, his wife, multiple times during a September 2021 home invasion at a mobile home in Madison County.
A first-degree murder charge was filed in November against Lake after Ralph Brian died at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center. Lake also faces charges of felony attempted first-degree murder, burglary and grand theft. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Karen Brian survived her injuries.
Lake reportedly told his brother before the shooting he was going “to go ‘cap’ somebody,” according to court documents.
The day after the incident, investigators found Lake at his Jefferson County home and took him into custody.
He told investigators he went into the Brian’s home and attacked Karen with a knife, stabbing her multiple times and shooting Ralph “point-blank” with Brian’s own revolver, according to a probable cause affidavit.
RELATED | Suspect charged with murder after man dies from injuries in home invasion
Court documents do not indicate a motive for the crime or whether Lake knew the Brians.
RELATED | Man pleads not guilty to home invasion that left man dead, wife seriously wounded
If convicted, Lake could face up to life in prison.
Although Lake has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.