The prisoner who escaped from a Boise hospital has been transported to the Nez Perce County jail. Skylar Meade will face murder charges for the death of 83-year-old James Mauney. Meade is accused of killing the Juliaetta man and a second individual in Clearwater County after escaping on March 20, 2024.
The Nez Perce County Prosecutor said Meade was successfully transported with the help of Idaho State Police and local authorities from Ada County to Nez Perce County. Meade pleaded guilty to planning and executing the prison break and was sentenced to serve 35 years before being considered for parole. He was formally indicted in Nez Perce County for Mauney’s death near Leland, Idaho, on June 11, 2024.
Meade escaped in the early morning hours on March 20 from Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center. He was at the hospital for treatment of self-inflicted injuries. As Correctional Officers were getting ready to take Meade back to prison, an accomplice named Nickolas Umphenour began shooting. Two of the officers were shot.
A third officer was shot and injured when a fellow police officer mistook him for the shooter. All of them survived. Umphenour and Meade knew each other from spending time in prison together.
At the time of the escape, Meade was serving a 20-year sentence for shooting at a sheriff’s sergeant during a high-speed chase. Umphenour was released in January after serving time on charges of grand theft and unlawful possession of a weapon.
Umphenour is charged with three counts of aggravated battery on law enforcement officers, using a firearm during a crime, and aiding and abetting escape, all felonies. He stood silent when asked to enter a plea to those charges in May, and the judge subsequently entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. He is scheduled to stand trial on those charges in October.
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Nez Perce County Prosecutor Justin Coleman expressed appreciation for efforts in getting Meade to Lewiston. “I want to thank all of the agencies involved: ISP, Ada, and Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Offices, as well as the Lewiston Police Department. Each worked hard and contributed significant amounts of time and manpower to guarantee there were no issues today. Now, we can continue our work to hold him accountable for his crimes in our County,” Coleman said.
