Trial ordered for man in cold-case killing

POCATELLO (AP) - A 40-year-old eastern Idaho man charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a 25-year-old woman a decade ago has been ordered to stand trial.

A judge on Thursday ruled there's enough evidence to send the case against Brad Scott Compher of Pocatello to trial in 6th District Court.

Compher was arrested in September after police said DNA evidence and a fingerprint linked him to the killing of Nori Jones. Her body was discovered Sept. 28, 2004, in her Pocatello home by co-workers when she didn't report for work.

During the four-day preliminary hearing, a DNA expert testified that DNA samples from a sexual assault kit matched Compher.

Bannock County Chief Deputy Attorney said new evidence and witnesses could be brought forward during the trial that weren't part of the preliminary hearing.

"It probably won't be set like a normal felony case because it is a cold case," Parris said.

"There's just a lot of forensic evidence, so it takes a lot of time to prepare that."

Compher's attorneys sought to block the DNA evidence from the sexual assault kit but that motion was rejected. Previously in the four-day hearing, defense attorneys suggested another person, Torey Adamcik, might have been responsible for the killing.

Adamcik, along with Brian Draper, was convicted in 2006 of the stabbing death of high school classmate Cassie Jo Stoddart. At the time of Jones' 2004 death, the then-14-year-old Adamcik lived about 50 yards away. Both Stoddart and Jones died of multiple stab wounds.

It's not clear if Adamcik will be brought up in the trial. Defense attorneys declined to comment after the preliminary hearing concluded.