BOISE, Idaho — David L. Randall, 60, may spend the rest of his life in prison for murdering his ex-girlfriend in December 2019.
The Boise man was sentenced Friday to life imprisonment, with 25 years fixed before he's eligible for possible parole. The sentence comes more than a year after Randall pleaded guilty to first-degree murder.
Fourth District Judge Steven Hippler followed the prosecution's sentencing recommendation based on a plea agreement, the office of Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts said Monday.
Randall was arrested Dec. 16, 2019, for the murder of Darla Fletcher at a Boise home she had shared with Randall before the two ended their relationship. According to the prosecutor's office, Randall attacked, tortured, stabbed and beat Fletcher to death when she drove to the home to collect some of her belongings.
In 2020, about three months after he was arrested, Randall was found not mentally fit to stand trial. The court committed him to a medical program at the state's maximum-security prison. Randall was discharged from the program in June 2020. His trial, scheduled for February 2021,was postponed due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.
Before his trial was set to begin, Randall pleaded guilty in December 2021 to first-degree murder and was scheduled to be sentenced in March 2022. However, sentencing was postponed multiple times as Randall moved unsuccessfully to withdraw his guilty plea.
At sentencing Friday, Judge Hippler said Randall presented "grave danger to the community," and noted a lack of remorse for the murder. If he is ever granted parole, Randall will be, at youngest, in his early 80s before he gets out of prison.
In a news release Monday, Bennetts extended her condolences to family and friends of the victim, Darla Fletcher.
"This brutal domestic homicide has weighed on the victim's family and friends, our office, and the community for over three years now. I'm proud of the hard work performed by my trial team and the Boise Police Department's homicide detectives, which ensured justice was ultimately served in this case," Bennetts said.
Resources for survivors of domestic abuse in Ada County include the Faces of Hope Victim Center and the Women's and Children's Alliance. More information is available at those organizations' websites.
Watch more Local News:
See the latest news from around the Treasure Valley and the Gem State in our YouTube playlist:
