Boise man guilty, but of lesser charge for killing girlfriend’s ex-husband

Joshua Alberts, who claimed self-defense in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend’s ex-husband last February, is guilty of second-degree murder, an Ada County jury ruled Thursday.

Prosecutors had charged the Boise man with first-degree murder, claiming he lured Joshua Warren to the Whispering Pines apartment complex off Ustick Road on a false pretense of picking up Warren’s sons. Alberts told the jury he didn’t intend to kill Warren and didn’t know why he “just kept pulling the trigger,” shooting Warren a dozen times while he sat seat-belted in his car.

The murder trial began Wednesday, Jan. 18, and went to the jury one week later. Jurors returned their verdict at 1:17 p.m. Thursday.

Before the verdict was issued, jurors asked for clarification of several terms, including the definitions of “deliberate” and “malice.” The judge largely declined to provide further instruction on the jury questions after Alberts’ attorneys objected.

Sentencing is set for March 27. Life imprisonment is the maximum possible sentence for second-degree murder.

Previous coverage:

Opening statements: Boise man was calm, precise when he shot girlfriend’s ex-husband to death.

Judge denies mistrial following outburst.

‘I would shoot him once’ only if I had to, defendant says at trial.

This is a breaking news report. Check back for further details as they are confirmed.

This story was originally published January 26, 2017 at 2:44 PM with the headline "Boise man guilty, but of lesser charge for killing girlfriend’s ex-husband."