BOISE, Idaho — A 31-year-old Garden City man convicted of killing his uncle has been sentenced to life in prison.
According to the Ada County Prosecutor's Office, Emerson Buck IV was sentenced Friday by District Judge Jason Scott to serve at least 40 years behind bars before he is eligible for parole.
Buck repeatedly slashed and stabbed his uncle, James Buck, 55, in their Garden City mobile home on the morning of January 19, 2020. He then fled the scene and eluded police on foot before being apprehended by officers about an hour later near Veterans Memorial Parkway and Chinden Boulevard.
He was initially charged with second-degree murder. The state later amended that charge to first-degree murder, and resisting and obstructing an officer.
According to Prosecutor Brent Ferguson during the trial, the suspect's mother heard him yelling "never again" and cursing at someone, followed by thumping sounds. At first, his mother thought that Buck had hit one of their dogs, Ferguson said, but went into the bedroom to investigate.
"When she got there, she found James Buck lying on the floor in a pool of blood, and the defendant was gone," he said.
By the time police got to the home, James Buck was no longer breathing. Despite the officers' attempts to help him, Buck died from his injuries shortly after they arrived.
Prosecutors say he stabbed the victim so viciously that one of the wounds penetrated his heart.
In May, a jury found Buck guilty of first-degree murder with an enhancement for using a deadly weapon in the commission of a crime, and resisting and obstructing an officer.
"Thank you to the Garden City Police Department for their thorough investigation, which allowed my office to ensure justice was served," Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts said is statement.
Watch more crime news:
See the latest Treasure Valley crime news in our YouTube playlist:
