BOISE, Idaho — The case against a man accused of stabbing his uncle to death inside a Garden City mobile home earlier this year is moving forward.
Ada County Magistrate Judge Adam Kimball ruled Friday that there was enough probable cause against Emerson Buck to bind the case over to district court.
Buck, 30, is charged with first-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony. He is accused of attacking 55-year-old James Buck Jan. 19, slashing and stabbing his relative with such force that one of the wounds penetrated the victim's heart.
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Prosecutors have said that the suspect and the victim had a tense relationship with each other, but have not released a motive for the slaying. Buck left the mobile home on 40th Street in Garden City after the stabbing, police say; when he was taken into custody later that day, officers noticed blood on his clothing and hands.
The suspect's criminal history includes a conviction for rape and multiple parole violations. He was out on bail in a felony drug case when the stabbing happened, according to prosecutors.
The Ada County Courthouse was evacuated Friday afternoon while Buck's hearing was going on, after a courthouse employee's spouse tested positive for COVID-19. The preliminary hearing was continued off-site into Friday evening.
Buck is currently held without bail in the Ada County Jail. He is due back in court April 3 for an arraignment.
If convicted of first-degree murder, he could face up to life in prison or the death penalty.
