In the early morning hours of January 6, 2017, the life of 20-year-old Ryan Harrison Banks, a White/Caucasian male, was tragically cut short in Boise, Idaho. The fatal encounter took place at the Park Village Apartments near Boise State University, where an earlier dispute escalated into a deadly shooting. That night, Banks had been in the apartment of a fellow resident, 30-year-old Adam David Bodenbach, when a physical fight broke out between them.
Reports indicated that Bodenbach was allegedly high on methamphetamine at the time of the altercation.
Following the initial conflict, Banks left and went back to his own apartment. A short time later, he decided to return to Bodenbach's residence, accompanied by a roommate, with the intention of making peace. However, as Banks and the roommate approached, Bodenbach emerged from his apartment armed with a handgun. Witnesses reported that Bodenbach said, "Did you think I was bluffing? See what you f------g get," before shooting Banks once in the chest from a distance of about five or six feet. First responders found Banks with a critical gunshot wound, and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Adam Bodenbach was quickly identified as the suspect and taken into custody, where he was charged with first-degree murder. During the investigation, Bodenbach claimed he had acted in self-defense, alleging that Banks had swung an 18-inch knife at him. However, investigators found no knife on Banks or at the scene, and a witness to the shooting refuted Bodenbach's claim. The handgun believed to be the murder weapon was recovered from Bodenbach's apartment. He was held on a $1 million bond.
Ultimately, the investigation did not support Adam Bodenbach's self-defense claim. He was convicted of first-degree murder for the shooting death of Ryan Banks. A judge sentenced him to life in prison, with the stipulation that he must serve a minimum of 25 years before becoming eligible for parole.
