Boise man tortured ex-girlfriend before bludgeoning her to death, prosecutor says
A Boise man is being held at the Ada County Jail without bond after prosecutors claim he bludgeoned his ex-girlfriend with a ceramic object and stabbed her to death after torturing her.
Police arrested David L. Randall, 56, on Tuesday after Darla Fletcher, 56, was found dead Monday at Randall’s home on Cambria Lane. He is charged on suspicion of first-degree murder involving torture.
On Wednesday, a prosecutor said in court that Fletcher had ended her relationship with Randall about a month ago and moved out. They arranged a time for her to come pick up some belongings from the house, and that is when he allegedly killed her. Prosecutors also said Randall had been stalking Fletcher for the past month, and multiple people were concerned for her safety.
The Ada County prosecutor explained that when Fletcher did not show up to work on Monday, her adult son went to Randall’s home looking for her.
When Fletcher’s son arrived, Randall claimed that he didn’t know where she was, even though the car she drives was in his driveway, according to prosecutors. Fletcher was found dead on the couch, according to the prosecution, and there was blood throughout the house and dried blood on the floor, and Randall had blood on his hands.
Ada County Magistrate Judge Russell Comstock said that because of the aggravating nature of the crime, he would not set a bond for Randall, whose next court appearance is set for Dec. 30.
Randall has a minimal misdemeanor criminal history in Idaho, but no apparent violent crimes, according to a court record search, and nothing recent. He was cited for possession of marijuana in 2004, and in 2006, he was cited for misdemeanor theft by acquiring stolen property.
If convicted, first-degree murder is punishable by up to life in prison or the death penalty. In a news release the prosecutor’s office said it has not yet determined whether to seek the death penalty.
Need help?
The Women’s and Children’s Alliance in Boise is available at 208-343-7025 for victims of domestic violence or online at wcaboise.org.
The Faces of Hope Victim Center is available for victims in need of emergency services at 417 S. 6th St. in Boise. Victims should call 911 in emergencies or call 208-577-4400 on weekdays during business hours. Faces of Hope provides free medical care and forensic examinations for victims, as well as assistance with filing police reports and mental health care after an assault.
Anyone in need of help or believes they may be in a violent relationship is encouraged to contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
This story was originally published December 18, 2019 at 10:50 AM.
