In a heartbreaking and extremely unnerving series of circumstances, a 10-month-old Idaho infant, Zeke Best, was found dead just one day after an Amber Alert was issued for his abduction. The case, which transpired over the weekend, has shaken the local community and gained national attention as information about the infant’s terrible death and the violent circumstances leading up to it continue to emerge.
Authorities discovered Zeke’s lifeless body about 24 miles east of Idaho Falls, near a desolate location where his father, Jeremy Albert Best, was found by a hunter. The hunter had called police after seeing a distressing scene: a man lying on the highway, completely naked, wrapped in a sleeping bag, and acting strangely.
“The caller stated the man was naked and making odd statements,” law enforcement officers reported, detailing the strange and unsettling tip that eventually led to the discovery of Zeke’s remains.
According to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Jeremy Best was issued an arrest warrant for kidnapping his son on Friday, stemming from a horrifying chain of events that began with the death of his wife, Kali Jean Randall, whose body was discovered in her Victor, Idaho home the day before. Her death has since been declared a homicide.
Authorities quickly responded to the hunter’s report and discovered Best’s truck stuck in an embankment off the side of the road. Investigators located the infant’s body at this location, bringing the search to a terrible conclusion and increasing the criminal inquiry.
Best, who is currently being held in the Bonneville County Jail, is facing escalating legal issues as investigators from Bonneville County, the Idaho State Police, the FBI, and the Teton County Sheriff’s Office continue to go through evidence. His arraignment is still pending, and it’s unknown whether he has been assigned legal counsel.
The back-to-back catastrophes have thrown a pall over the region. What started as a domestic tragedy with the discovery of Kali Randall’s death soon escalated into a full-fledged Amber Alert, a multijurisdictional manhunt, and now a heartbreaking double tragedy.
Community members and politicians have both voiced their sadness and fury at the incidents. Law enforcement issued a statement expressing their condolences: “Our thoughts are with the family of the victims involved in this case.”
As the inquiry progresses, the focus has shifted to obtaining justice for Kali Jean Randall and Zeke Best. The situation has saddened loved ones while also raising concerns about domestic violence, mental health, and child protection in high-risk circumstances.
This terrible example serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the critical need of intervening in domestic abuse situations. As more information emerge, the community remains united in grief and hope for fast justice.