Preliminary hearing for suspect in Red Elk case begins

The main suspect in the 2009 death of Eugene “Lorne” Red Elk appeared in court for his preliminary hearing Tuesday.

Red Elk was found with severe head and chest trauma on the night of June 14, 2009, in the parking lot of Duffy’s Tavern at 1304 N. Main in Pocatello, where he worked as a part-time bouncer. He died three days later.

According to friends and family, Martin Edmo Ish had been a person of interest for some time in the case.

The first witness to take the stand was Ish’s cousin, Jennifer Teton. She recalled seeing Ish the morning after Red Elk was attacked. She said he confessed to attacking Red Elk, even going as far as to say he was pretty sure he killed Red Elk.

When Ish’s defense attorney asked Teton why she didn’t come forward in 2009, she said she was scared Ish would hurt her.

The next few witnesses to take the stand were at Duffy’s Tavern the night of the attack.

Jodi Walker, who was the bartender at the time, said Ish had an angry demeanor when he came to the bar. She said she told Red Elk to keep an eye on Ish after getting a call from another bartender Linda Loveday Wood. Wood said she kicked someone out of the Bourbon Barrel Bar in Old Town Pocatello.

Other witnesses said Ish became a bit of a problem at the bar, causing Red Elk to escort him out. One witness, Robert Hess, said Ish was saying, “What did I do wrong?” as he was leaving. Red Elk left a short time after that.

When Narcissus Kimball took the stand, she recounted finding Red Elk in the parking lot and telling everyone in Duffy’s Tavern to call 911. Several Pocatello police officers who responded to the call also testified.

Pocatello police officer Ralph Daniels was the last to take the stand. He talked about his conversation with Ish 10 days after the attack. He said Ish denied any conflict with Red Elk and that he claimed to walk to his home in Fort Hall after getting kicked out of Duffy’s.

Ish was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in June. He initially had a preliminary hearing in July, but he waived his time for the hearing, giving more time for the prosecution and defense to examine the case.

The hearing continues on Thursday and prosecutors plan to call five witnesses to the stand.