Jeremy Best charged with 2 counts of murder in first degree for deaths of wife and unborn child, judge orders competency test
VICTOR, Idaho (KIFI) - UPDATE 12:00 p.m. The Victor man accused of killing his pregnant wife and child appeared in court Monday morning.
48-year-old Jeremy Albert Best appeared in a court hearing through a closed circuit stream from Bonneville County Jail.
Best appeared to be agitated during the hearing.
Best is accused of two counts of first degree murder filed by Teton County prosecutors.
One count is first degree murder for allegedly shooting his wife Kali Randall Best.
In court documents, it states best may have shot her three times.
The other count is for the murder of kali's unborn child as she was 28 weeks pregnant.
He is also charged with the illegal use of a firearm while committing a crime.
The judge is orering best to get a mental evaluation before his next hearing.
"Your honor, me and Mr. Malik have met with Mr. Best. We believe that it's necessary for under Idaho code 18 to 11 that a competency review be ordered by this court. So we would ask that an order from this court be sent to the department of health and welfare to conduct the mental competency review," Jim Archibald said.
A preliminary hearing is now scheduled for Dec. 18 following the results of that test.
Best is being held in the Bonneville County Jail without bond.
ORIGINAL: 48-year-old Jeremy Albert Best has been charged with two counts of murder in the first degree in connection with the deaths of his wife Kali Randall Best and their unborn child that occurred in Victor on Nov. 30, 2023.
The initial Criminal Complaint to support an arrest warrant for Best was filed on Dec. 1, 2023. Per Idaho law, the case remained sealed until Best was taken into custody and the warrant was returned to the court by law enforcement.
In Idaho, murder in the first degree is punishable by 10 years to life imprisonment and may be punishable by death. The prosecution has 60 days from the defendant’s entry of initial plea to file a notice of intent to seek the death penalty.
At approximately 11:41 p.m. on Nov. 30, 2023, Teton County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a 911 hang-up call at 4600 Skyline Loop in Victor, Idaho. Upon arriving at the scene, deputies found a deceased female, identified as Kali Randall Best, who was later confirmed to have been approximately 28-weeks pregnant. The Teton County Sheriff’s Office initiated a search for suspect Jeremy Best and infant Zeke Gregory Best, who was missing from the scene. Best was located and taken into custody by Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies at approximately 9:17 a.m. on Dec. 2, 2023 on Kepps Crossing Road near Dan Creek Road, east of Idaho Falls. Zeke Best was found deceased at the scene. Investigation in this case is ongoing.
Best is scheduled for an initial appearance before Magistrate Judge Jason Walker at 11 a.m. on Monday at the Teton County Courthouse. You can watch it below.
Teton County Prosecuting Attorney Bailey Smith represents the State in this case. Best remains in custody at the Bonneville County Jail and is expected to appear remotely at the initial appearance.
You can read the full text of the Amended Criminal Complaint below.
