Shifting stories in Brian Geddes 2012 murder case
This is the original Idaho Statesman story on the investigation of the Brian Geddes murder. It published on Nov. 11, 2012.
Jordan Marie Shaver, 21, is being held in the Ada County Jail with no bond on a first-degree murder charge. Police and prosecutors say she shot Brian Geddes, 49, in the back of the head with a handgun, rolled his body in a comforter and stuck it under his Garden City trailer home — where it remained for two weeks before anyone found him.
Prosecutors also said Monday that Shaver stole money from Geddes, spent it on a variety of items during those two weeks and had his cellphone when she was arrested Saturday in the parking lot of a Boise Walmart. Police found Shaver by tracing Geddes’ cellphone.
When confronted by Garden City police about the killing, Shaver told them three different stories, according to court records obtained by the Idaho Statesman on Monday.
The first thing Shaver told them was that Geddes was gambling in Nevada. The second story was that drug dealers came into his home in the 5100 block of Elaynea Lane and shot him. In the third story, she admitted involvement, telling police she had just given Geddes a back rub and asked him to fix her handgun because it was stuck.
She told police Geddes fixed the gun and gave it back to her. Shaver told police it was when she was putting it in her purse that it accidentally fired, hitting Geddes in the head. That’s when she said she rolled him in the comforter and put him under the home.
Ada County coroner’s reports, however, debunk that theory, prosecutors said Monday. The fatal gunshot to the back of Geddes head resulted in a “perforating contact gunshot wound” — meaning the gun would have been right against his head and not in a purse or anywhere else, according to court records.
Coroner’s reports say the last time anyone saw Geddes was Oct. 16. Prosecutors said Monday the shooting happened about two weeks ago. Police say the body was badly decomposed when found Friday.
Garden City police were called to the home for a missing person report just before 4 p.m. Friday. During their investigation, they found the body. Family members told police Shaver ran away into the Greenbelt just before police arrived, after they found her in Geddes’ house.
Prosecutors say Shaver had three active arrest warrants prior to her arrest Friday - including two for missing court hearings for unrelated charges of felony grand theft and misdemeanor assault-domestic violence in Ada County.
Court records on the grand theft charge were not available Monday. Shaver eventually pleaded guilty to a disturbing the peace charge in connection with the domestic violence case. She had been accused of attacking her boyfriend - not Geddes - in April after arguing because he wanted her to sell her dog to pay bills. Court records indicate she was living with the boyfriend at a home on 51st Street at the time, only a few blocks from where Geddes’ home is in Garden City.
Shaver seemed to be on the verge of tears during her short court appearance Monday afternoon. Family members of Geddes attended the hearing but left without comment.
Garden City police originally charged Shaver with second-degree murder but prosecutors changed that by the time of her arraignment, saying there is evidence of premeditation necessary to charge first-degree murder.
Shaver is also charged with using a handgun in the commission of a felony.
This story was originally published November 6, 2012 at 1:00 PM.