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IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — An Idaho Falls man is facing the possibility of life in prison after a Bonneville County jury convicted him of second-degree murder in the fatal beating of a 50-year-old man last year.

Robert Wyatt Lange, 21, of Idaho Falls, was found guilty in the death of Alejandro Parades Hurtado following a four-day jury trial, Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal announced Thursday.

The conviction stems from an aggravated battery that occurred on the evening of October 19, 2024. According to the initial police release, Alejandro Parades Hurtado was found brutally beaten and with severe injuries on a sidewalk along the west side of Northgate Mile near the intersection with May Street. The victim later succumbed to his injuries, according to the Idaho Falls Police Department.

RELATED: Man dies after being severely beaten along Northgate Mile

The IFPD quickly launched an investigation and a three-day search for a suspect. Authorities later released dash cam video footage to the media showing a person of interest near the scene.

RELATED: Police: Suspect turns himself in for attacking man

Lange, who was 20 at the time of the incident, turned himself in at the Idaho Falls Police Complex after reportedly seeing himself in the released video. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder.

Lange is scheduled to appear before Judge Brendon Taylor in the Seventh District Court in Bonneville County for his sentencing on December 5, 2025. Under Idaho law, the second-degree murder charge carries a maximum penalty of up to life in prison.

Prosecutor Neal extended his thanks to the IFPD detectives who “worked hard on the case and testified at the trial.” The announcement noted that several members of the victim’s family were present in the courtroom throughout the trial proceedings.

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho State University’s president is looking to expand its presence in eastern Idaho. President Robert Wagner spoke about ISU’s plans at the City Club of Idaho Falls forum Thursday, October 2, on giving students more opportunities to get an education.

He says in the near future, ISU will be the provider of 4-year degrees in the Idaho Falls region, as the college works to deliver education to students where they are.

“We want to be here. We are here. We’re doubling down on being here. This is important to us. We want to be your hometown university,” President Wagner said.

Wagner says ISU is focusing on ways to help students get into the college, graduate, and have the tools to thrive in life. One way they are doing this is by working on partnerships with the community, like with Idaho National Laboratory and other colleges in eastern Idaho.

“We’re going to develop more degrees,” said President Wagner. “We’re going to do it in conjunction with CEI. We’re going to make sure that those pathways are there.”

Wagner believes these efforts will help people in the area who want to get more education and go into the careers they want.

MICHIGAN (KIFI) — The family of Thomas Jacob Sanford, the perpetrator of a recent attack on a Michigan church, is receiving an immense amount of support from members of the very faith community he targeted: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Days after Sanford drove his truck into the Grand Blanc Township LDS chapel, opened fire, and set the building ablaze—an event federal investigators are calling a “targeted act of violence”—LDS Church members and friends worldwide have rallied to support his wife and son, who has a rare genetic disorder.

The viral GiveSendGo fundraising campaign has so far raised over $280,740 for Sanford’s family as of Thursday morning. The funds are earmarked to “help provide for the Sanford family’s daily needs, provide for ongoing medical treatment, and create some stability in a time of heartbreak,” states the fundraiser.

The attack, which resulted in four people killed and eight wounded, has been met by the church’s leaders with a strong message of peace and forgiveness, which they are encouraging the worldwide faith community to embrace.

LDS author David Butler started the fundraiser, explaining online that his faith inspired him to act. He felt compelled to care for people in need and to follow the teachings of James, the biblical apostle of Christ: “To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction.”

While the campaign has drawn some scrutiny from those questioning the decision to aid the shooter’s family, Butler addressed the criticism, clarifying that the effort is not about taking sides.

“[Sanford’s family] They certainly didn’t choose this. They certainly didn’t want this to happen. And they’re victims, too,” Butler said in an interview with Fox News. “I think people want to love. People want to forgive.”

The majority of donations were accompanied by kind messages and reassurance for the family, with notes frequently stating, “You are loved. This wasn’t your fault.”