Man sent to prison for 2018 Fort Hall murder
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FORT HALL — A Fort Hall man will be on his way to federal prison after being sentenced Tuesday afternoon.
Justin Beasley, 27, of Fort Hall, was sentenced to spend 327 months or a little over 27 years in prison. A federal jury convicted Beasley in August for the second-degree murder of Austin Pevo. Beasley stabbed Pevo at a Fort Hall home on Feb. 3, 2018, before dumping the body in a remote area near Bannock Peak.
Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Beasley to serve an additional five years of supervised release once his prison sentence is complete.
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On the day of his murder, Pevo’s mother dropped him off at a Fort Hall home to cut firewood. While others were at the home, Beesley and Pevo got into an argument, and Beasley stabbed Pevo twice in the chest, according to testimony at the trial.
Pevo’s family reported him missing, The Shoshone-Bannock Tribes found him in an isolated area of the Fort Hall Reservation 19 months later.
A witness to the murder told Fort Hall Police in August 2019 that Pevo died at the house and three men removed his body.
The FBI searched the home and found evidence Pevo died there. Additionally, one of the men who allegedly helped take Pevo’s remains to where they were found admitted to his involvement and showed the FBI where to find the body. DNA testing confirmed the remains were Pevo’s.
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The two men who allegedly help Beasley cover up the murder were also charged.
Alden Hugh Brewster, of Blackfoot, was charged with accessory to murder. According to charging documents, Brewster assisted Beasley in an attempt to prevent the apprehension and punishment for killing Pevo.
Blandon Leif Coby, of Fort Hall, was also indicted for allegedly helping Brewster move and hide Pevo’s body without notifying authorities of the homicide. He’s charged with misprision of felony, meaning he allegedly knew a crime was committed but failed to tell investigators.
Coby pleaded guilty to the charge on Oct. 4. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 11 at the Federal Courthouse in Pocatello.
Brewster pleaded guilty in August to the same misprision charge as Coby. Brewster’s sentencing is in Pocatello on Jan 4.