Suspect in Compass Academy homicide appears in court following grand jury indictment
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IDAHO FALLS – An 18-year-old man appeared in court Friday after being indicted by a grand jury regarding an alleged homicide in the parking lot of Compass Academy.
Taylor Alan Aughenbaugh was indicted on two count of felony aggravated battery using a deadly weapon and one count of felony concealing or destroying evidence.
According to the indictment, Aughenbaugh “did intentionally cause bodily harm” upon two victims, Aaron Murdoch and Devan Johnson.
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The indictment says Aughenbaugh “did willfully conceal a firearm, knowing that the firearm was about to be produced, used or discovered as evidence.”
Aughenbaugh appeared in court before Magistrate Judge Wiley Dennert, who scheduled the next hearing, a district court arraignment, for March 19.
If convicted, Aughenbaugh could face up to 65 years in prison.
Gabriel Perkins, 19, was also originally charged in this case. He is expected to appear for an initial appearance in court Friday afternoon after a recent indictment.
EastIdahoNews.com will be in the courtroom and post a story about the proceedings when they conclude.
Background
According to court documents, the incident happened around 1 a.m. on the north side of the parking lot of Compass Academy on 955 Garfield Street in Idaho Falls.
Perkins arrived with a female minor and another man, Aaron Murdoch, who was identified as one of the injured victims. They arrived in a white two-door chevy truck. Two more of Perkins’ friends arrived in a grey Chevy four-door truck.
Aughenbaugh arrived with five other people, including Barber and two other victims, identified as Colton Clark and Devan Johnson. They arrived in a black Jeep and a black Dodge Charger.
A fight broke out, in which Clark reportedly shoved Perkins and Perkins hit Clark, knocking him unconscious and causing him to fall to the ground near Perkins’ truck.
A video, obtained by police, reportedly shows Aughenbaugh pulling out a handgun and shooting “at least two times” with one of the shots hitting Murdoch in the leg and the other hitting Johnson in the upper back.
Court documents say Johnson appeared to be trying to step in front of Aughenbaugh as he was shooting.
Video then reportedly shows Perkins hiding behind the tailgate of his truck as people begin to run away.
Barber is seen hiding at the front of Perkins’ truck on the driver’s side, where he appears to “look down at his friends who were laying on the ground.”
At this point, the video reportedly shows Perkins stand up from behind the tailgate and shoot Barber in the head with a handgun. It is not clear where Perkins obtained the handgun.
Barber reportedly drops to the ground, and Perkins moves around the tailgate to the driver’s side, where he points the handgun at Johnson who was laying by the rear wheel of the truck.
Perkins then moves to the driver’s door and goes to get in the truck, before turning around, pointing the gun back at Johnson, and shooting him in the leg, according to court documents.
Perkins then drives off, running over Clark who was on the ground. According to police, Perkins’ rear tire ran over Clark’s upper body.
Perkins reportedly did not call 911 “or make an effort to report this event.”
Clark was taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center by ambulance and admitted to the ICU with severe injuries. Barber was pronounced dead at the hospital. The other two victims — Johnson and Murdoch — were also hospitalized at EIRMC for injuries.
In a later interview with police, Perkins reportedly stated he “reached over the tailgate and shot the gun” but never mentioned that he thought Barber was armed or a threat.
Though Aughenbaugh and Perkins have been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean they committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.