Man who pleaded guilty to involvement testifies in Ririe murder trial

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — On Thursday, day 3 of the Ririe rest-stop murder trial, Gerald Hamlin followed through with his plea deal to testify against the defendant Randy Larkin.

He testified that he drove Larkin and William "Buckskin" Burton to the Lane Clark rest area where Larkin later shot and killed Morey Pelton, but said that he did not know what Larkin was planning that night, who he was meeting, or why he was meeting them.

Hamlin said Larkin exited his car at the Lane Clark rest area and walked over to two other cars. Surveillance footage shows this was around 9:45 p.m. on May 12, 2022. Hamlin said he was distracted, playing a golf game on his phone, but that he later heard a voice ask Larkin a question.

Hamlin said he heard the voice say, "**** you, Randy. What are you gonna do, shoot me?"

Hamlin testified that Larkin then got back in the car and told Hamlin and Burton to keep their mouths shut.

In July of this year, Hamlin pleaded guilty to accessory of keeping information of a felony from officers, and covering up or manipulating evidence. In return, he agreed to testify against the defendant Randy Larkin as long as the court dropped his first-degree murder and accessory to first-degree murder charges.

On Friday, Hamlin will continue his testimony and the defense will get to cross-examine him.

Editor’s note: The post has been updated with a correction. The court dropped charges of accessory to first degree murder against Gerald Hamlin as part of his plea agreement in July 2024. Hamlin only pleaded guilty to accessory of willfully withholding or concealing knowledge of a felony from a peace officer and to destruction, alteration, or concealment evidence.