Jerome, ID — Two residents of Jerome, Idaho, Jessica Bohr and Samantha Herrin, are facing accusations of murder following the death of an elderly man, with details emerging from court records. The women are charged with first-degree murder, and Herrin faces additional charges of attempted murder and aiding and abetting.
On June 24, 2024, police were called to a distressing scene at a residence on Fifth Avenue West. They arrived to find the victim, identified as Merlin Leavitt, with his face and head covered in blood, amidst similar splatters across the living room’s furniture and floor.
According to authorities, Leavitt, before his subsequent hospitalization, accused Bohr and Herrin of assaulting him. Medical reports from Saint Alphonsus Hospital in Boise indicated that Leavitt suffered skull fractures and broken ribs and had to be placed in a medically induced coma.
Leavitt was later transferred to Bennett Hills Rehabilitation and Care Center in Gooding, where he recounted to police from his bed. He alleged that his attackers, one of whom was previously his caretaker, woke him by striking him repeatedly overhead with their fists and a hammer.
Herrin, who had previously been in line to inherit Leavitt’s estate, reportedly had a disagreement with him shortly before the incident. Financial gain was suggested as a motive for the attack, as Herrin stood to inherit upon Leavitt’s demise.
Complications from the injuries led to Leavitt’s death on August 16. An autopsy conducted on August 22 confirmed that the cause of death was due to complications from blunt force trauma to the head and body.
As the case progresses, with a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 3, Herrin is being held without bail, while Bohr’s bail is set at $350,000. The community and local authorities remain attentive as they await further developments in this distressing case.