Max Gershon
RUPERT, Idaho (KIFI) —On July 8th, 2025, 56-year-old Benjamin Roy Naylor, a Burley resident, was arrested and charged with four counts of first-degree murder. Court documents from the case provide a chilling account of the investigation into the homicides that occurred across Cassia and Minidoka Counties.
According to the documents, police responded to a 911 call at approximately 3:30 PM MDT reporting an unattended death under “suspicious circumstances” at a residence in Rupert. Upon arrival, officers discovered a woman deceased in the northwest bedroom of the home.
The woman was described as “cold to the touch” and was later determined to have suffered at least one gunshot wound to the head. The woman’s identity has not been released at this time.
The investigation heavily relied on video evidence from a Blink doorbell camera at the residence. The documents state, “camera footage from the residence’s Blink doorbell showed that at approximately an adult white male… approached the door” at 1:34 PM.
The individual reportedly who answered the door was later discovered to be Benjamin Naylor. Occluding tot he documents he wore a “yellow glove on his left hand… and “a firearm tucked under his jacket.” Screenshots of this footage were later shared with local law enforcement.
Within hours of the initial discovery, two more victims, later identified as Kelly and Donna Jenks, were found deceased in a home in Cassia County. A fourth victim, whose identity is also being withheld, was later discovered in a vehicle in Minidoka County.
Naylor was later apprehended and taken into custody in Lincoln County. According to court documents, he was wearing the “same clothes seen in the doorbell footage” at the time of his arrest. Authorities also recovered a “1911-style handgun in 10 mm caliber” in his possession.
Following his arrest, Naylor was booked into the Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center. He currently faces four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths across the two counties.
In Loving Memory
In the wake of the grisly killings, a GoFundMe has been organized on behalf of the Jenks’ family. The couple leaves behind their only daughter, Jerica Harper, her husband Alex, and their daughter Adalee.
“Kelly and Donna were overjoyed to step into the role of grandparents, and baby Adalee was truly the light of their lives,” the fundraiser states. “The sudden and violent loss of both parents is absolutely heartbreaking.”
As of 4:30 PM MDT on Thursday, July 10, the fundraiser has gathered over $10,000 to support the family.” For more information, click HERE.
“If he were in his right mind, he would be horrified by his actions,” says Naylor’s family
In response to the tragic events, Naylor’s family has issued a statement via Facebook, extending their condolences to the victims’ families.
“Our hearts and thoughts will forever be with every life touched by this terrible loss,” they wrote in part. They added that Naylor has struggled with severe mental illness for most of his life, expressing their belief that “If he were in his right mind, he would be horrified by his actions.”
“We believe that once he has received proper psychiatric care, he is going to realize the devastation he has caused, and he is going to have to live with this the rest of his life,” said the post.
Click here to follow the original article.
Courtesy: Lenny Curtis