On February 5, 2021, a contentious child custody dispute culminated in the tragic death of 40-year-old John Allen Mast, a White/Caucasian male, in a grocery store parking lot in Lewiston, Idaho. Mast, a resident of Williston, North Dakota, had traveled to Lewiston for a court-ordered visitation to pick up his children. As he was adjusting car seats in his vehicle in the Rosauers parking lot around 6 p.m., he was confronted and shot multiple times by his former father-in-law, James Robert Brashear, who was 67 at the time. Mast was rushed to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The background of this fatal encounter was a bitter and prolonged custody battle between Mast and his ex-wife, Rebecca Brashear-Mast, over their two children. During the dispute, allegations of sexual abuse were made against Mast, but law enforcement investigations found these claims to be without merit, and no charges were ever filed against him. Despite this, the conflict between the families remained intense. On the day of the shooting, Brashear and his daughter had made unsuccessful attempts to prevent the scheduled visitation by contacting Child Protective Services and filing for a civil protection order.
Following the shooting, James Robert Brashear was arrested at the scene and was initially charged with first-degree murder. According to court documents, Brashear confessed to the police that he went to the parking lot with the intention of killing Mast and then himself. He approached Mast, engaged in a brief verbal exchange, and then shot him in the chest. As Mast attempted to flee, Brashear fired additional shots, hitting him in the back.
In August 2023, a jury found James Brashear guilty of the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Subsequently, in November 2023, he was sentenced to the maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, with credit for time already served. The court also ordered him to pay court costs, fines, and restitution to the Mast family. Mast's family described the allegations against him as "false and vile" and emphasized his commitment to clearing his name and being reunited with his children. In a statement, they expressed their profound grief and also extended forgiveness to the Brashear family, hoping for peace and healing for everyone involved.
