2 charged in plot to kill Rexburg man but may have targeted wrong home, documents say

Karen and Ralph Brian | Courtesy Karen Brian REXBURG — A grand jury has indicted two men in connection with the homicide of a Rexburg man who was shot and killed during a home invasion in 2021. Anthony Dean (T.J.) Wilson, 33, and Ryler Jensen, 28, are charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Investigators say they worked with Pierre Lake, 21, in conspiring to kill Ralph Brian at his home on the 300 block of North 12th West. Brian’s wife, Karen Brian, was stabbed multiple times but survived. Anthony Dean (T.J.) Wilson, Ryler Jensen Lake, the key suspect in the case, was arrested the day after the attack in September 2021. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced in January 2024 to serve 30 years to life in prison. “We always believed there were more participants in the crime and so this case has been active since the death of Ralph Brian,” Madison County Sheriff Ron Ball said during a news conference Wednesday. “I can’t give enough credit to the detectives who have worked nonstop on the case.” Wilson, Jensen and Lake appeared to plan the murder of someone else, but Lake entered the wrong mobile home and ended up killing Brian, according to an indictment obtained by EastIdahoNews.com. RELATED | A home intruder killed her husband and attacked her. Now Karen Brian and her kids speak out. The indictment says Wilson instructed Lake to kill the other person, whose name is redacted, between Sept. 1 to Sept. 20, 2021. Wilson put a “hit” out on the person during that time period, and Jensen and Lake both conducted surveillance of a home in Madison County, court documents say. Pierre Lake appears in court. | EastIdahoNews.com file photo Lake drove to “or near” the home on Sept. 21 and “entered into a mobile home, believing it to belong to (redacted),” according to the indictment. Ball was one of the original detectives who interviewed Lake after the attack, but the sheriff says Lake would not discuss other possible suspects. “Pierre refused to give any information about anybody who may have helped him, so that made it difficult,” Ball said. “We had to rely on tips and really outstanding detective work.” Madison County Sheriff Ron Ball speaks with the media. Madison County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Vince Kaaiakamanu stands next to him. | Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com Wilson, Jensen and Lake were friends who hung out with each other and “were involved in some illegal activity,” Ball explained. Wilson is already in jail in connection with another conspiracy to commit murder case. He allegedly plotted to kill Teton County Sheriff Clinton Lemieux and Teton County Magistrate Judge Jason Walker. Ball said that case is not connected to Brian’s murder case. Jensen is also in jail on grand theft and other charges. RELATED | Three men indicted for alleged murder plot on local sheriff and judge The Brians did not know Wilson, Jensen, or Lake, and Ball said the couple were “totally innocent victims.” When asked if there are other suspects who have not been arrested, Ball said, “That door is open.” “If anybody has any further information about the death of Ralph Brian and the assault of Karen Brian, we’d appreciate it if they would come forward and help us out,” Ball said. “It’s important that justice is served here. We want all people involved in this homicide and attack on Karen to be brought to justice.” If convicted, Wilson and Jensen could face up to life in prison. They are scheduled to be arraigned on June 26.The post 2 charged in plot to kill Rexburg man but may have targeted wrong home, documents say appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com