Man indicted for murder, allegedly destroyed parts of woman’s body
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IDAHO FALLS – A man appeared in court Friday shortly after being indicted by a grand jury for first-degree murder.
Chris Brandon Foiles, 42, was indicted by a grand jury on one count of first-degree murder, an enhancement for using a deadly weapon, and one count of destroying evidence. His original charge, which was filed on Jan. 16, of felony first-degree murder, was dismissed and replaced with the grand jury indictment.
Foiles, originally from Moscow, appeared nearly emotionless in court as his attorneys, public defenders Jim Archibald and John Thomas, stood beside him, agreeing their client would continue to be held without bail.
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According to the indictment, Foiles willfully and with premeditation, killed Megan Ashley Stedman with a knife.
It also states Foiles “did willfully destroy parts of a human body, knowing that the body parts were about to be produced, used or discovered as evidence.”
Foiles is expected to appear in court on Feb. 1 for his District Court arraignment. If convicted, he could face the death penalty or life in prison.
Background
On Jan. 12, officers responded to Wardell Avenue in Idaho Falls after a suspicious RV was reported. Idaho Falls Police officers discovered a 1973 Dodge RV, which was being sought by Montana law enforcement in connection to a missing person case. At the time, Stedman was listed as a missing, endangered woman most recently from Bozeman.
According to Washington news station KHQ, Stedman was originally from Spokane and was the mother of two kids.
Montana law enforcement were informed and obtained a search warrant for the RV and began traveling to Idaho Falls. IFPD detectives set up unmarked vehicles to conduct surveillance on the RV.
Eventually, a sergeant and a detective from IFPD saw Foiles leaving the RV and contacted him. He reportedly told officers, “I am Chris Foiles. I killed my girlfriend. She is in the RV.”
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Officers searched the RV and found Stedman’s body near the back.
During police interviews, Foiles reportedly identified the body as Stedman, and said they arrived in Idaho Falls around Dec. 22 and parked the RV on the south side of the Walmart on Utah Avenue in Idaho Falls.
During their time in the parking lot, the two got into an argument where Foiles reportedly feared that Stedman would call the police.
According to police reports, Foiles stated he “grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed (Stedman) in the neck.”
Foiles also allegedly admitted to stabbing Stedman in the chest “with the intent to kill her.”
Foiles said he later heard Stedman using an object to hit the back window of the RV, so he allegedly “stabbed (Stedman) in her upper back area several times until she stopped moving.”
According to this timeline, Foiles lived in the RV with Stedman’s body for three weeks.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, visit the National Domestic Violence Hotline or call (800) 799-SAFE (7233).