VICTOR, ID – A southeast Idaho man has been sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty to killing his pregnant wife and their infant son in a violent series of attacks that shook the rural Teton Valley community last year.
Jeremy Albert Best, 50, received three consecutive life sentences Thursday after admitting to shooting his wife, Kali Best, four times in the back and fatally slashing the throat of their 10-month-old son, Zeke Gregory Best. The couple’s unborn child, Freya, also died in the November attack. The punishment was handed down by District Judge Dane H. Watkins Jr. after a three-day sentencing hearing in Teton County, where testimonies from family members, investigators, and neighbors painted a graphic picture of the crimes.
Best entered guilty pleas in February, acknowledging first-degree murder in his son’s death and second-degree murder in the killing of both his wife and their unborn daughter. The plea agreement—reached after consultations with both Bonneville and Teton County prosecutors as well as the victims’ families—spared him a trial.
According to court records and statements from prosecutors, the Bests’ marriage had become increasingly troubled. Authorities described a household plagued by financial stress and Best’s ongoing drug use, contributing to frequent arguments and volatility. Investigators recovered text messages in which Jeremy Best spoke repeatedly about money woes and pondered drastic steps such as selling all his possessions and leaving his family.
During the sentencing, Teton County Prosecutor Bailey A. Smith characterized the murders as acts of “family annihilation,” noting that Best’s decision to kill his wife, son, and unborn child represented some of the most “depraved” conduct witnessed in Idaho courts.
Family members of Kali Best shared the deep impact the killings have had. Emma Brice, Kali’s sister, recounted the unbearable wave of grief that swept through their family upon learning of the deaths, describing the enduring trauma suffered by surviving loved ones.
“I can still hear my mother’s screams,” she told the courtroom, recalling the moment her family learned of the triple homicide. The emotional statements underscored the profound loss experienced by the victims’ relatives.
The tragic events began unfolding November 30, 2023, when the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a naked man behaving strangely at a general store in Swan Valley, near the Idaho-Wyoming border. Store surveillance video showed Best slumped over a counter before he was escorted out and transported to a hospital for treatment.
Roughly twelve hours after the Swan Valley incident, Teton County dispatchers responded to a 911 call that included audible signs of distress. Responding deputies found Kali Best unresponsive at the couple’s Victor home. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators determined Jeremy Best was responsible and that he had abducted their infant son, Zeke, from the residence.
A manhunt ensued, and authorities issued an Amber Alert, warning the public that Best was armed and possibly dangerous. Two days later, hunters east of Idaho Falls called law enforcement after noticing a man lying unclothed in a sleeping bag along the roadside, making unusual statements. Deputies apprehended Best nearby. Their search of the area led to the discovery of Best’s disabled vehicle in a roadside embankment, where officers found Zeke’s body.
Friends and family described Kali Best as someone who cherished her life in Idaho, her animals, and above all, motherhood. Her cousin, Meg Fischer, expressed that raising her children brought Kali her greatest joy, and the family believes she did all she could to protect them.
Best is now expected to spend the remainder of his life in prison with no possibility of parole, bringing legal resolution to a case that has left lasting scars on the community and the family members of the victims.