Man pleads guilty to murder charges for stabbing father to death

SHELLEY:  A man accused of stabbing his father to death in March of 2020 pleaded guilty to murder charges in court Thursday. 

Kayden Neale Ford pleaded guilty Thursday, October 5, 2023, to one count of Murder in the Second Degree pursuant to a plea agreement with the State, according to a press release from Bingham County Prosecuting Attorney Ryan W. Jolley.

The State agreed to recommend a prison sentence of 25 years fixed, with life indeterminate.

“This means that if the Court follows this agreement, the defendant will be required to serve a minimum of 25 years in prison prior to being considered for parole,” Jolley stated. “The parole board would have the discretion to hold the defendant in prison for the rest of his life.”

Ford’s sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2023, at 9:00 A.M. in front of the Honorable Judge Darren B. Simpson

Ford was initially charged with Murder in the First Degree after stabbing his father, Joshua Ford, to death in Shelley, Idaho, on March 19, 2020. Deputies initially responded to a report of the Defendant jumping in front of a moving vehicle in Shelley. Shortly after their arrival, Deputies also received a report of a deceased individual and discovered the deceased victim upon responding to that nearby location. Ford was subsequently arrested and charged, according to the press release.

Due to multiple competency issues, the case progressed slowly, but the Defendant was ultimately restored to competency and accepted this agreement with the State, the press release further stated.

“I would like to thank all the law enforcement involved in this investigation for their professionalism and hard work,” Jolley stated.