Shelley man arrested and charged for murder of Deraek Larson

Idaho Falls Police have arrested Brian J. Mitchell in connection to the August 16th murder ofDeraek Patrick Larson.

IFPD announced Thursday that they had arrested Mitchell earlier that day for the alleged stabbing murder of Deraek Patrick Larson. Mitchell is being charged with second-degree murder and has been booked into the Bonneville County Jail.

“Thanks to the expertise, dedication and time of our detectives, patrol officers, and department employees, with the assistance of other agencies, city departments and the community; we are able to make an arrest in the Larson homicide,” Idaho Falls Police Chief Mark McBride said.

Larson was found dead around 10 a.m. on Sunday, August 16th, by a passerby at the playground area in Tautphaus Park. Police were able to identify Larson later that after noon when they were able to match a fingerprint to the body.

Police did say they identified a witness of the crime and are questioning that individual, but do not consider him a suspect.

IFPD is still waiting for official autopsy reports to come back but preliminary results from the autopsy, done on August 17th, show that Larson had been stabbed twenty times.

IFPD have not determined a motive yet for the stabbing.

After an initial appearance Thursday afternoon Mitchell was bound to the district court and a preliminary trial hearing was set for September 2, 2015. Mitchell is being held on a $500,000 bond.