Teen sentenced for role in fatal Compass Academy shooting
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IDAHO FALLS — A 19-year-old was sentenced Monday for his role in a fatal shooting that occurred in the Compass Academy parking lot in 2024.
District Judge Dane Watkins Jr. sentenced Skyler Andra to 90 days in local jail with work release, 100 hours of community service and five years of probation, with an underlying sentence of three to five years in prison if he violates his probation.
Andra will be given credit for one day served in jail. He will also be required to write an apology letter to the family of the victim, 25-year-old Alexander Barber.
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He initially pleaded not guilty after being indicted for felony leaving the scene of an injury accident, but later accepted a plea agreement where he agreed to plead guilty to the charge, in exchange for the prosecution recommending 30 days of local jail time at sentencing.
On Feb. 12, 2024, Andra was the driver of a vehicle that ran over Barber after he was shot in the head by then-19-year-old Gabriel Perkins. Andra was later indicted for felony leaving the scene of an injury accident, as he did not contact police about the incident.
Two other men were also shot that night, and one of them was also run over by a truck, driven by Perkins.
Gabriel Perkins accepted a plea agreement in April, admitting to killing Barber. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17.
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Two others charged in the incident include Aaron Murdoch and Taylor Aughenbaugh.
Murdoch was indicted for felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon enhancement and is expected to appear for a jury trial on July 7.
Aughenbaugh was indicted on two counts of felony aggravated battery using a deadly weapon and one count of felony concealing or destroying evidence. He is expected to appear for a jury trial on May 27.
Sentencing
“All I have is guilt and regret for the whole thing.”
Andra appeared for sentencing with defense attorney Kelly Mallard, first listening to Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal describe the “carnage” of the night of Feb. 12, 2024.
“Two groups of young adults, folks that had barely gotten out of the juvenile realm, decided to get together at the Compass Academy to settle a dispute,” said Neal. “The decision was made by a significant group of these young adults, 19- and 20-year-olds, to just go into a realm that just lacked all relation to reality.”
Neal stated that the argument between the groups he refers to as “gangsta-wannabes” was “ridiculous,” leading to the death of Barber and the serious injuries of others.
“Mr. Andra was probably the least culpable and the least involved,” said Neal. “But I am disappointed that Mr. Andra, in several occasions, has just minimized and belittled the result that occurred in this case, and places blame on the other individuals. I think for that, the state has appropriate concern that there needs to be an understanding of what was taken that day.”
Neal recommended that Andra be sentenced to 30 days of local jail time and probation.
Mallard argued that his client has been able to acquire a stable job and has “changed his life” since the night of the shooting.
“This was an unfortunate incident, obviously. Mr. Andra was 18 years old the night this occurred. He was concerned about his younger sister who left earlier with Gabe Perkins to go to Compass Academy. He went to the school parking lot to make sure she was going to be OK,” said Mallard. “I don’t think he anticipated what occurred, but frankly, I’ve had a gun pointed at me too, and I’ve run. I don’t blame him for driving away like he did. As the pre-sentence investigator indicated, he unintentionally ran over Mr. Barber’s body.”
Mallard told the court that Andra driving over Barber’s body did not contribute to the 25-year-old’s death, and that his client was only charged for not calling 911.
“That’s probably what he should’ve done. (He) should’ve gotten to a spot where he felt safe and called 911,” said Mallard. “But he didn’t do that, and now he’s here to suffer the consequences.”
Andra took an opportunity to speak to the court before the ruling, explaining that he no longer hangs out with the friends he was around during the time of the shooting and spends most of his days at work.
“I’ve changed my life, I’m not running around with that crowd anymore after this whole experience. All I do is work and hang out with my girlfriend — that’s all I do now. I don’t go hang out, go party. I just work on the days I have work,” said Andra. “My whole life is just clean, and I’m trying to get into the Lord and trying to go to church and stuff. I’m really trying to change my life after the whole experience. It’s kind of thrown my whole life into a loop.”
Watkins then told Andra he wanted to give him another opportunity to talk, but this time, he wanted him to decide if he wanted to try to express “regret and remorse” over the situation.
Andra then continued through tears, saying his only intention that night was to protect his sister.
“I feel terrible for the whole thing. That wasn’t my intention to show up there, and somebody to get killed,” said Andra. “I showed up to take care of her, and everything went sideways. I couldn’t stop anything. I had no control. I don’t have any ill intentions towards anyone. I kind of just got scared and took off.”
Andra told the court he took Murdoch, whom he did not know previously, to the hospital before returning home and telling his mother what had happened. His mother then called the police.
“All I have is guilt and regret for the whole thing,” said Andra. “Nothing can change that, nobody can bring (Barber) back, and if I could, I would.”
Watkins then spoke to Andra before ruling, saying that he acknowledges Andra’s young age and the fact that his life changed on the day of the shooting, even though he was the least involved of those charged.
“Your life changed dramatically on that date, and I’m sure every day from that moment in time until today, there has been a great deal of reflection,” said Watkins. “There will need to be additional maturing, and it will be my responsibility to ensure that there’s accountability.”
Watkins concluded, saying that it’s essential to recognize that Andra is the first of the four people charged to be sentenced, and that everyone’s cases are being handled according to the context of each defendant.
“It’s important that everyone recognize that you are the first individual coming before the court, and I will restate the prosecutor’s comment of the least culpable and the least involved,” said Watkins. “What I characterize as a sincere statement, with tears in your eyes, that you feel terrible. You’ve affected the lives of others. There are people here in the courtroom today that I think share in those tears.”