In the early morning hours of January 15, 2022, a gathering at a home on South Owyhee Street in Boise, Idaho, took a tragic turn, ending the life of 22-year-old James “Matt” Cuellar. A Boise native, James, a White male, was known by his family as a "miracle" for having defied a grim medical prognosis at birth. He was at the residence with friends when another man at the party, 31-year-old Jed Earls, began to verbally harass him.
According to Cuellar's sister, Earls was "very
combative" and made disparaging remarks about Cuellar's appearance. Family members stated that Cuellar, who was born with a genetic disorder, was being bullied by Earls. The situation escalated throughout the night, with a friend of Cuellar's reportedly standing up for him against Earls' comments. The confrontation culminated in a fatal argument, allegedly over a case of beer, as Cuellar was attempting to leave the residence.
At approximately 4:10 a.m., Boise police responded to a call at the Owyhee Street home. Upon arrival, they discovered Cuellar with a gunshot wound to the chest. Earls was present at the scene and was identified as the suspect. A firearm was recovered from the home. Cuellar was transported to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in critical condition and succumbed to his injuries several days later.
Jed Earls was arrested at the scene and initially charged with felony aggravated battery. Following Cuellar's death, the charge was upgraded to second-degree murder, along with an enhancement for the use of a deadly weapon. In May 2024, an Ada County jury found Earls guilty of second-degree murder. Subsequently, he was sentenced to 50 years in prison, with 20 years fixed before he is eligible for parole.
