Leniency denied in Ingraham sentence

District court Judge Barbara Buchanan denied a motion Sept. 29, for reconsideration and reduction of the sentence in the Skyler Ingraham case.

Skyler Abbott Ingraham, Post Falls, was sentenced in June to 12 years, four years determinate and eight years indeterminate, for murdering his uncle Brent Barron, 53, on a camping trip near Roman Nose Lake in August 2014.

Public Defender Michael Waldrup filed the plea for leniency on Sept. 22, requesting that the court reduce Ingraham’s sentence to four years determinate and four years indeterminate.

To date, Waldrup has not submitted any supporting material for his motion for reconsideration.

Buchanan denied the motion for reconsideration, stating that the motion lacked new information that would prove the sentence to be excessive.

In the order, Buchanan stated that during sentencing, the court took into account the aggravating and mitigating factors, including the impact of the crime on the victim, and the nature of Ingraham, his attitude, credibility, and remorse. The court further considered the sworn testimony of four defense witnesses, and the comments, recommendations and arguments of counsel.

The mitigating factors in Ingraham’s case, according to Buchanan, were his youth, (Ingraham was 20-years-old at sentencing) that he had almost no criminal record, and the many statements that he is kind and has a good character.

Over 25 people reportedly packed the courtroom in support of Ingraham during his sentencing, with four sworn in to testify on his behalf, including Dennis Barron, the father of the victim.

However, Buchanan stated in the order that the aggravating factors in Ingraham’s care are the taking of another life, which is the worst crime a person can commit. The court found that although Ingraham may have been in fear, it was not self-defense, as he made the decision to execute the victim while the victim was just sitting; there was no fighting or struggling involved.

Buchanan stated that the primary goals of sentencing are the protection of society, deterrence, rehabilitation, and retribution. Substantial sentence of confinement in this case is necessary to protect society from someone capable of taking another life, and to deter others who would commit a similar crime. Buchanan concluded by stating that the sentence imposed also exacts a measure of retribution for the death of the victim.

Ingraham was initially arrested in October 2015 for failure to report the death of his uncle to proper authorities and was later charged in January for first-degree murder. Ingraham pled guilty to second-degree murder on March 24.

According to reports, Ingraham told police that in August 2014, he and two other juveniles had saved up money all summer long to go on a camping near Roman Nose Lake. Barron reportedly invited himself along, and the boys were too afraid to tell him no. Barron was said to be drinking and smoking marijuana.

Ingraham said Barron, who spent 31 of the 53 years of his life in Idaho prison, was mean to him and other family members, especially after he’d been drinking.

While on the camping trip with Barron, Ingraham admitted to shooting Barron, because he feared for his life and was “terrified” based on threats Barron had allegedly made.

Ingraham told police that Barron became agitated with him when he didn’t have enough money to buy Barron the liquor he wanted when the two had left camp and went to the liquor store. He said Barron had a knife on him and that Barron was making statements such as, “I have killed people for less than that in prison.”

“He [Barron] bent over really fast and started reaching for something in his bag,” Ingraham explained in his statement, “That is when I proceeded to shoot him once in the shoulder to try to wound him, but it had missed and hit him in the head. I was not trying to hit him in the head. I did not mean to kill Brent. I was not sure what to do. I was protecting me and my brother. I think he was going to hurt us … or at night when we were sleeping,” Ingraham told police, referring to the camping outing. “I did not feel safe.”

On Sept. 16, 2015, one of the teens who was on the camping trip approached a school counselor about the incident. He reportedly told the counselor that Barron had been mean to family members and was “crazy.”

The student admitted to helping Ingraham hide Barron’s body, according to the police report. Ingraham told police that he and others later returned to the camp site to bury the body. He also said others assisted him in burning the items Barron had on the camping trip.

The murder case was investigated by the Boundary County Sheriff’s Office, Post Falls Police and Idaho State Police. With the assistance of a cadaver dog team, Barron’s body was found on Sept. 19, 2015.

Boundary County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Tevis Hull said there will be additional charges against other people in the case, but that they have not been filed yet.

Ingraham has the option to appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court within 42 days of the Court’s denial for leniency.