VICTOR, ID – In a tragic incident that has left the community in shock, 10-month-old Zeke Gregory Best was found dead by a group of hunters on Saturday morning. His father, Jeremy Best, who is suspected of murdering his pregnant wife and abducting his son, is now in police custody, according to a statement from the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.
The hunters in the area contacted the Bonneville County Dispatch around 9:15 a.m. on Saturday. They reported finding a man in a sleeping bag on the side of the road. The man, who was naked and behaving unusually, was later identified as Jeremy Albert Best by the responding deputies of the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office.
Upon arriving at the scene on Kepps Crossing Road, near Dan Creek Road east of Idaho Falls, the deputies discovered the black Chevy SUV that Best had been driving. They also found the lifeless body of Zeke Best. However, it remains unclear whether his body was inside the SUV. The cause of Zeke’s death has yet to be determined. Bonneville County Coroner Rick Taylor has stated that Zeke’s body will be taken to Boise for a forensic autopsy before a decision can be made.
This sorrowful development follows an incident on Thursday when Jeremy Best walked into the Swan Valley General Store completely nude. A video of the incident shows Best slouched over the store’s counter, grabbing a cigarette before being escorted out by several people. Following this, he was taken to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for medical and mental health evaluation.
Later that night, around 11:40 p.m., the Teton County Sheriff’s Office received a distress call from the Best residence. The dispatcher heard arguing in the background and dispatched deputies to the location. Upon arrival, they discovered the body of Best’s wife and Zeke’s mother, Kali Jean Randall. Police believe that Best took Zeke and fled after killing Randall.
An Amber Alert was issued for Zeke around 4 a.m. on Friday. Since then, law enforcement across the state has been searching for the father and son. After receiving medical clearance, Best was taken to the Bonneville County Jail on an outstanding homicide warrant from Teton County. He will remain there until his arraignment.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office stating, “Our thoughts are with the family of the victims involved in this case.” The tragic death of the infant and the arrest of his father mark a grim end to a case that has gripped the state for days.