by Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports
After a Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputy interacted with Jeremy Best on Nov. 30, the same day he allegedly murdered his wife and unborn child, some questioned why he wasn’t detained.
The answer is simple. Idaho law and the U.S. Constitution.
On Nov. 30, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office “responded to a disturbance at the Swan Valley General Store regarding a male who was nude, walking through the store. Deputies contacted the male who was identified as Jeremy Best. Mr. Best was evaluated by EMS on scene and transported to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center by ambulance. A Bonneville County deputy followed the ambulance and Mr. Best was turned over to the hospital staff for further medical and mental health concerns,” according to a press release.
Best is accused of killing his pregnant wife, Kali Jean Randall, in Victor, Idaho, later that night. He’s also accused of taking their 10-month-old son, Zeke. After issuing an Amber Alert for the infant, authorities later found Zeke dead.
EIRMC officials confirmed that the hospital discharged Best from the hospital Nov. 30. Coleen Niemann, an EIRMC spokesperson, said federal law prohibited her from disclosing specific information about any patient.
“We are heartbroken by the tragedy that has rocked our community in the recent days and we join many in our area in extending our deepest sympathy to the families and loved ones of Kali and Zeke,” Niemann said Tuesday in an email to Idaho Reports.
“Like all hospitals, we follow specific standards of care when we assess and treat individuals, including those with behavioral health concerns,” Niemann said. “Idaho law limits law enforcement, hospitals, and healthcare providers from placing individuals on a protective custody hold unless specific clinical criteria is met. When these factors are not present or apparent at the time of the care process, hospitals cannot legally hold a patient against their or their family’s wishes.”
Idaho Code 66-326 does allow for a 24-hour hold, but only if the “patient is mentally ill and either likely to injure himself or others or is gravely disabled due to mental illness.”
If the patient does not meet that standard, the hold cannot apply. Additionally, Idaho law prohibits the placement of a hold on a patient who is “impaired by chronic alcoholism or drug abuse.” So, had Best been under the influence of a substance, that also cannot be the sole reason to incarcerate or hold a person at the hospital.
Best does not have any charges filed related to his suspected public nudity, and at the time of the interaction with law enforcement at the Swan Valley General Store, he had not yet been charged with a crime.
The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects people against unreasonable searches and seizures without probable cause.
Knowing only what’s been made public in the case so far, deputies may not have had a legal reason to detain Best on Nov. 30, prior to the murders.
Best now remains in custody without bond on two counts of suspected first-degree murder and a weapons enhancement. His next court date is set for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 19 in Teton County.
Ruth Brown | Producer
Ruth Brown grew up in South Dakota and her first job out of college was covering the South Dakota Legislature. She’s since moved on to Idaho lawmakers. Brown spent 10 years working in print journalism, including newspapers such as the Idaho Statesman and Idaho Press, where she’s covered everything from the correctional system to health care issues. She joined Idaho Reports in 2021 and looks forward to telling stories about how state policy can impact the lives of regular Idahoans.