Man sentenced for shooting and killing 25-year-old at Compass Academy parking lot
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IDAHO FALLS — The courtroom was packed and nearly silent Tuesday as the gallery watched an almost emotionless man be sentenced to prison for shooting and killing a 25-year-old in the Compass Academy parking lot in 2024.
Gabriel Perkins, 20, was sentenced by District Judge Dane Watkins Jr. to a minimum of 17 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison.
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During the hearing, Perkins said his actions were “born out of fear and skewed perception.”
“I am extremely sorry to all the victims, the victims’ families and their friends,” said Perkins. “My actions were never fueled by anger, hatred or malice. They were just fueled by fear. I was simply scared. It was never meant to go that far.”
In April, Perkins pleaded guilty as part of a plea agreement to felony voluntary manslaughter in the death of Alexander Barber and aggravated battery for the shooting of another victim on Feb. 12, 2024.
Both sides agreed that the state would recommend a minimum of 17 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison, which Watkins agreed to during sentencing.
Cases are ongoing against two other defendants, Aaron Murdoch and Taylor Aughenbaugh.
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Murdoch was charged with felony aggravated assault and is expected to appear for a jury trial on Dec. 15.
Aughenbaugh was charged with 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 Oct. 6.
Skylar Andra, 20, was charged with felony leaving the scene of an injury accident. He accepted a plea agreement and was sentenced 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.
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Background
Two large groups fought around 1 a.m. at the Compass Academy parking lot in Idaho Falls. Police reports state there had been an “ongoing argument” between Perkins and Aughenbaugh, reportedly over a stolen wallet, leading to the group meeting in the parking lot “to settle it.”
A fight broke out among the group, causing one victim to lose consciousness and fall to the ground near Perkins’ truck. A video obtained by police reportedly shows Aughenbaugh pulling out a handgun and shooting “at least two times,” hitting a second victim in the upper back.
Court documents say the second victim appeared to be trying to step in front of Aughenbaugh as he was shooting. The video reportedly shows Perkins hiding behind the tailgate of his truck and Barber hiding at the front of the same truck on the driver’s side.
Police say the video then shows Perkins standing up from behind the tailgate and shooting Barber in the head with a handgun.
Perkins then moves around to the driver’s side, where he points the handgun at the second victim, who was lying by the rear wheel of the truck. He then gets back in the truck, but turns around and shoots the victim in the leg before driving away.
As he was driving away, police say Perkins ran over the upper half of the first victim’s body, who was on the ground. Andra also ran over Barber’s body in a car as he was leaving the scene.
Perkins’ sentencing
Perkins showed very little emotion as three of Barber’s family members, and one of the gunshot victims from the night of the incident, spoke at sentencing, explaining how their lives have been “destroyed” since the shooting.
Todd Barber, Alex’s father, spoke first, saying he has been denied the opportunity to make life-long memories with his son.
“His death was not pleasant or peaceful. You can be told circumstances, or a version of this incident, but nothing speaks as loudly as watching the video to get the real effect of what took place, and the role that Gabriel played in it,” said Todd. “It is absolutely horrific to witness the extreme measures Gabriel went to as he took control of the scene, and the carnage he left on the blacktop as he fled the scene.”
Barber’s brother, Chris Stewart, spoke without any prepared notes, bringing a photo of Alex and his ashes as he talked about the impact of losing his brother.
“This has been really devastating for me, for my kids, and for my mother, who actually recently passed away last year from a broken heart. She couldn’t live with the fact of losing her son,” said Stewart. “I can’t express how upset, angry, sad, and the sorrow I feel.”
Barber’s sister, Anna-Liisa Coyne Duncan, spoke on behalf of their mother, Dorothy Barber, who recently passed away but had written a statement before she died, saying that Perkins is a “monster.”
Obituary | Alexander Blade Barber
“She says, ‘He is a monster. I hope he gets the death penalty. He had no right to take my son’s life and to break my heart forever,'” said Duncan on behalf of Dorothy Barber. “‘I have no respect for him. Jail is where he belongs. He killed me, too. I look for Alex every day.”
Obituary | Dorothy Elaine Barber
Speaking for herself, Duncan continued, saying she forgives Barber, but not for his sake – for hers.
“I want you to know that I do forgive him. Not because he deserves it, but because I need the peace that forgiveness will bring in my life,” said Duncan. “I hope that he is reminded every day of the pain and sadness and loss that he has caused his family and ours. I hope that he will remember that, and it will encourage him every day to do better and to be better. And I hope one day he will deserve my forgiveness.”
The last impact statement came from one of the victims, who was shot in the back and the leg, and explained what he saw and experienced on Feb. 12, 2024.
“The night that it happened, everyone was out of control. But when Gabe pulled the gun on Alex, Alex was hovering over me, and he wasn’t doing anything. He was literally hovering over me and (another victim) to save us from getting shot. And Gabe shot him in the head over nothing,” said the victim. “Then he tried to kill me, and I begged him three times not to kill me. And he didn’t because the gun jammed, so Alex took the last bullet.”
He continued speaking through tears, directing his comments toward Perkins and calling him a “coward.”
“Seeing Alex lying next to me, bleeding out, looking at me, I see that every day. I still don’t understand why Gabe would do that,” said the victim. “I’ll always remember Alex as a very good person. He was the most courageous person ever. And Gabe, you’re a coward.”
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Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal recommended that Watkins accept the plea agreement as is, calling the decisions made the night of the incident “profoundly stupid.”
“This was a school yard. It was a prohibited area for firearms, period,” said Neal. “It’s intended to be a place of education, and somewhat a sanctuary. And there, these folks were using it as a kind of ‘wannabe gang fight’, something out of a movie, or a stupid video game.”
Neal continued, noting his concern that children and teens are becoming desensitized to violence.
“The lack of understanding of the deadly consequences that were just around the corner is just staggering,” said Neal. “There really needs to be an alarm into our community, and young people this age that are apparently so desensitized to the nature of this kind of threat, that they could walk away having shot other individuals…this is not the kind of community we want Idaho Falls to be.”
Neal also noted that Perkins has been in multiple jail fights since his arrest, cautioning him that if he doesn’t begin to change his ways, he could “stay in prison until he’s an old man.”
Perkins’ defense attorney Serhiy Stavynskyy also recommended that Watkins follow the plea agreement, arguing that Perkins did not plan to kill Barber, and has been in custody for just over a year and a half.
“When it comes to this case, I can say that there was no premeditation. When it comes to the actual events here, Mr. Perkins did not go to the school with premeditation or intent to kill anybody,” said Stavynskyy. “Everything is foreseeable in hindsight, but after reflection, Gabe knows his decision was wrong, and he never wanted that to happen. This will follow him forever.”
Stavynskyy told the court that Perkins acted out of fear, and did not kill Barber out of malice.
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“He’s here to take accountability for his actions, his actions that were born out of fear and skewed perception, not out of malice,” said Stavynskyy. “Since he was 18, he’s been in custody this whole time. That’s somebody who’s had to really mature really fast and is facing a life situation that he caused as well. But he wanted to take responsibility; he didn’t want anybody to have the trial process.”
Perkins then gave a brief statement to the court, apologizing for his actions and describing his life since his arrest.
“I never thought a night like that night would ever occur, and it’s plagued me since it happened. Every time I try to sleep, it replays in my head. I don’t sleep much anymore,” said Perkins. “I’ve thought of so many ways where I could have changed the outcome or just totally avoided what happened. I really wish I could take the night back, but I can’t. It’s out of my control.”
Watkins then spoke to Perkins about his thoughts before ruling, mentioning parts of the impact statements that he felt needed to be heard by Perkins again.
“Mr. Barber uses the word ‘nightmare’ and that’s a very descriptive way to express their feelings. It is one of the worst kind, he says, and one that he never awakens from,” said Watkins. “In the law, we use the term resolution. I think this was used by Mr. Neal in his opening remarks, and I know what he references and I know that others do. But in matters such as this, there is in many respects, no resolution. And that’s difficult. And that nightmare continues.”