On a Friday afternoon, September 29, 2017, the life of Robert Blaine Phelps, a 38-year-old White / Caucasian male from Chubbuck, Idaho, was tragically cut short. The incident unfolded around 2:15 p.m. in the parking lot of a Jacksons Food Store in Chubbuck. Phelps, a respected business owner, approached a black Mercedes-Benz sedan where Anthony Leinweber, also 38, was seated.
The two men were not strangers; they had a history that included business dealings and a past friendship that had soured.
An argument broke out between them as Phelps stood by the passenger side of the car. The verbal confrontation escalated dramatically when Leinweber stepped out of his vehicle. He was armed with a pistol and fired a single shot, striking the unarmed Phelps in the chest. Despite the immediate efforts of bystanders who rushed to provide aid, the injury was too severe, and Robert Phelps died at the scene.
Law enforcement arrived to find a chaotic and tragic situation. Anthony Leinweber was promptly arrested at the location of the shooting and taken into custody. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and booked into the Bannock County Jail. Authorities confirmed that Leinweber had previously been an employee at the auto repair shop that Phelps owned. While it was clear there had been a falling out between the two men, the specific motive that led to the fatal argument remains unclear as the Bannock County Prosecutor's Office sealed the case, preventing further details from being made public.
