ID - Nori Jones, 25, fatally stabbed in her Pocatello home, 28 Sept 2004 *Arrest in 2015*

Nearly ten years to the day after Nori Jones was found stabbed to death in her Pole Line Road home, police announced that an arrest has been made in the case.

Brad Scott Compher, 39, of Pocatello was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with first degree murder in her killing. Police say DNA evidence and fingerprints found at the crime scene resulted in the arrest...

Nori Jones was found murdered in her home on Poleline Road on Sept. 28, 2004. The 25-year-old had been found brutally stabbed, suffering defensive wounds and fatal blows by her attacker. Her body was discovered by coworkers who became concerned when she did not show up for work.

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The man accused of killing Nori Jones in 2004, Brad Scott Compher, appeared via video from the Bannock County Jail at his arraignment Thursday...

During the arraignment, Compher asked the judge about bail and also expressed concern about missing work for two days. Judge Naftz said there would be no bail amount set at this time...

On Wednesday the prosecutor said he wouldn’t rule out seeking the death penalty in the Jones case.

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The attorneys representing the local man accused of murdering Nori Jones want all the raw footage filmed by a TV show that chronicled the suspect’s arrest... Sixth District Magistrate Judge Rick Carnaroli has not yet ruled on the matter...

In early January, the public defenders asked the court to delay broadcasting the “Cold Justice” episode about the Jones murder, claiming that airing the show would hinder Compher’s ability to get a fair trial...

Compher is currently being held at Bannock County Jail. He will be back in court for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. on April 6.

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flourish said:

This is a particularly interesting case for me. Pocatello is my home town although I haven't lived there for over a decade now. I hadn't heard about this case until my sister called my attention to it when she visited me and we watched the cold case show together.
General thoughts: it's always amusing to watch those shows and see how they show a photo of one part of town while discussing another area--something only locals might notice.
My friend and a family member have some random odd connections to this case so I'm rather interested to see how it all plays out.As for him worrying about work, I chalked that up to shock and nerves. It had been a while since the murder so he was likely taken by surprise.

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Idaho Lynx said:

Would love to hear about the connections whenever or if ever you feel comfortable enough to share.

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Brad Scott Compher, also known as Ralph Roy Compher – he legally changed his name in 2008 – was arrested in September 2015 for the murder of Nori Jones who was stabbed to death in her Pole Line Road home in 2004.

The murder was featured on the TNT crime series “Cold Justice” and a crew from California-based Magic Elves Production worked with Pocatello police to speed up DNA processing in the case.

Following Compher’s preliminary hearing, Herzog said that case could end up costing tax payers $500,000.

Herzog said salaried state police experts do not charge the county to testify, but he said the cost of getting expert witnesses from private labs to court could end up costing the county $10,000 to $20,000 each, as well as the cost of transportation and expenses.

Those costs are being paid from a reserve fund set aside by the Bannock County Commission, Herzog said. The defense might also incur costs for outside experts, but Herzog said his office is not privy to that information.

Compher will go to trial on Jan.30, 2017.

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In court Friday, a motion was discussed that is currently on the table. The defense is asking the court to reconsider certain DNA evidence. Parris said because it is an open case, he cannot comment on the specifics of that. But in court, the defense did say that motion is waiting on a decision from the Idaho Attorney General's Office, which could take some time.

The defense also requested more time to gather its expert witnesses for trial, including DNA experts. Judge Stephen Dunn said he wants to get this case moving forward and get Jones justice. But he understands the need to be extremely prepared and thorough, especially in a death penalty case. However, he did give the defense 90 days to gather their expert opinions and send those to the State. The State would then be given sufficient time to gather its own experts to argue the case at trial.

There is another status conference scheduled for October. Right now, it does not seem likely that Compher will face a jury until 2018.

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After a case that waited 10 years for an arrest, and is now going on four years in court, many are anxious to see its conclusion.

The question facing the court now: is Compher competent to stand trial? Can he consent to treatment? Can he make knowing decisions in his defense?

The doctor has two weeks to get back with an updated evaluation. The state would then have a few days to look at the findings and decides its stance. The judge hopes to have the evaluation and a decision from the prosecution by Jan. 24 to move forward.

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The family of Nori Jones has waited nearly 14 years to see her killer brought to justice and will continue to wait indefinitely while the state of Idaho evaluates the mental competency of the man accused of her murder.

Brad Scott Compher, also known as Ralph Roy Compher, 42, of Pocatello has been charged with first-degree murder in the killing of Jones, who was 25 years old at the time of her death. Compher was back in court Thursday where the honorable Sixth District of Idaho Judge Stephen S. Dunn found Compher mentally incompetent to stand trial.

“We filed a motion that said we were not contesting the report that he is potentially unfit to stand trial,” said JaNiece Price, the assistant chief deputy prosecutor in Bannock County. “The judge found that he is incompetent to stand trial at this point and he will be turned over to the care and custody of the Department of Health and Welfare for what they call restoration proceedings.”

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