COUNCIL, Idaho (CBS2) – The Adams County Sheriff’s Office says John Cody Hart will be sentenced next week after pleading guilty to the murders of Rory and Sara Mehen of New Meadows.
The murders happened in October of 2022. According to court records, Hart stayed at the Hartland Inn Hotel in New Meadows, owned by Sara and Rory. Hart said he was going through drawers in other rooms to find his children's socks.
Hart was then confronted by the Mehens, who said he could not go through other rooms. Hart told detectives in an interview after his arrest that this confrontation made him angry.
The Mehens contacted authorities, and a deputy was dispatched to the inn, where he spoke with Hart about the incident. Records indicate the deputy cleared the scene at 12:20 p.m.
Hart told investigators he returned to his room. He then confessed to going to the front counter and shooting Rory and Sara Mehen before getting into his blue Subaru and driving onto Highway 95. The 911 call came in at 12:44 p.m., 24 minutes after the deputy had cleared the scene.
An off-duty Sheriff's Deputy followed the blue Subaru. Hart was pulled over and arrested.
As part of a plea agreement, the State will recommend life in prison without parole and withdraw its pursuit of the death penalty. Sentencing will be set for Monday, December 4th and Tuesday, December 5th, 2023.
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