Idaho
Idaho Lawmakers looking for change when it comes to suspicious death investigations
BOISE, Idaho — “If you are going to kill somebody, definitely do it in Idaho because you are very likely to get away with it here,” said Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel on the first day of the state legislative session. To be clear, Representative Rubel believes law enforcement does their best to protect Idahoans, and she does not truly encourage anyone to commit murder but that bold statement prompted Idaho News 6 to look into the stunning lack of standards Idaho has set for state Coroners.
“We have no standards whatsoever for when autopsies are to be conducted,” said Rep. Ilana Rubel. As a result, Idaho lawmakers are looking for a change when it comes to investigating suspicious deaths.
A state-wide, multi-year study by The Office of Performance Evaluations revealed Idaho lags behind other states, with autopsies performed in fewer than 4% of deaths between 2018 and 2022. Nationwide that number doubles to almost 8%.
“The overwhelming majority of child deaths are investigated in other states and not in Idaho,” said Rep. Rubel.
We spoke with Ada County Coroner Rich Riffle, who provides autopsy services for a majority of Idaho coroners.
“Out of county [coroners], they bring their autopsy cases here. It’s rare that we would go to them to help with an investigation [but] we will try dang hard. If they ask, we’re going,” said Coroner Riffle.
Coroner Riffle sees firsthand the difficulties small counties face regarding suspicious deaths.
“[In] the smaller counties, you have part-time people— you know farmers, plumbers, all these people working to put food on the table for their family… oh ‘yeah by the way could you go out and do this while you’re at it?’ So it’s like, death investigations: they care, but it’s not at their frontal lobes,” explained Coroner Riffle.
Rep. Rubel, points to the high-profile murder of Tammy Daybell in 2019, Who was quickly deemed a natural death and buried without an autopsy.
Her body had to be exhumed months later as part of an investigation that eventually led to a murder conviction for Chad Daybell.
“We would really like to see a system where we have a little bit more uniformity and access to resources where maybe the state provides some type of medical expertise,” said Rep. Rubel.
“State-wide standards I think would be a good thing, absolutely. The bottom line is still going to boil down to resources. We could have the best standards on the planet but if you don’t have the resources to do it…” nothing will happen explained Coroner Riffle.
Rep. Rubel says she and other lawmakers have started to draft legislation, and she hopes to see a bi-partisan effort to improve suspicious death investigations across the state. Coroner Riffle says he is interested in being a part of those conversations.
We’ll continue to follow this topic throughout the legislative session.
The results are in for the Idaho Lottery’s draw games on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on April 20.
Winning Powerball numbers from April 20 drawing
09-17-36-47-64, Powerball: 26, Power Play: 3
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 20 drawing
Day: 9-5-5
Night: 1-3-9
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 20 drawing
Day: 9-3-4-7
Night: 6-9-2-8
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from April 20 drawing
05-07-31-41-43, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Idaho Cash numbers from April 20 drawing
05-12-27-33-45
Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 20 drawing
19-37-40-41-53, Bonus: 02
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Idaho Lottery drawings held ?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Pick 4: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 8:35 p.m. MT Monday and Thursday.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- 5 Star Draw: 8 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Idaho Cash: 8 p.m. MT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
I remember watching a documentary about Idaho’s wildlands. A narrator said there were probably many parts of the state where no human being has ever set foot. I believe that, but I stay relatively close to the highways. If I were 30 years younger, I would probably enjoy exploring the back country, but today, unless a plane takes me in and out, it’s not happening. I can’t say definitively that there is one spot that I find better than others. We’re surrounded by beautiful terrain, however. One place keeps calling me back.
Like a Scene from a Legendary Movie
When I go over the mountain between Gooding and Fairfield, I take time to stop at the overlook above the Camas Prairie. It reminds me of a scene in Exodus, where the Paul Newman character takes an American woman to look across a flat plain leading to Mount Tabor. He explains that’s the site where Deborah gathered her armies. It makes me feel there is something godly about the Camas Prairie. I keep going back to this spot. Sometimes I take along a folding chair and sit and look at the world below.
Slow Down and See the Work of the Creator
Fairfield may be nothing more than a blip as people speed down Route 20, but it’s their loss. On the other side of the highway is some of the prettiest country in Idaho. It’s going to be a lot less lush this spring, but drought conditions haven’t been nearly as severe in the central highlands. But if I’m granted a few more years by the Almighty, I plan to see the prairie for many more springs.
‘Miserable’: McCall 4th of July Getaway Gets Roasted
What was once a great little summer escape has become a total headache according to the internet
Gallery Credit: Mateo, 103.5 KISS FM
The results are in for the Idaho Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on April 19.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 9-5-1
Night: 8-0-6
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 2-7-0-3
Night: 4-3-3-3
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Idaho Cash numbers from April 19 drawing
15-28-31-38-45
Check Idaho Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Idaho Lottery drawings held ?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Pick 4: 1:59 p.m. (Day) and 7:59 p.m. (Night) MT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 8:35 p.m. MT Monday and Thursday.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- 5 Star Draw: 8 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Idaho Cash: 8 p.m. MT daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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