By Shannon Tyler
The Idaho Statesman
BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho prisoner who escaped from custody following an ambush at a Boise hospital has pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder for a pair of killings while he was on the run for 36 hours.
Skylar Meade, 33, will receive consecutive life sentences for the murders of 83-year-old James Mauney and 72-year-old Gerald “Don” Henderson, according to the Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office, which had a Facebook post about the plea deal.
While in custody with the Idaho Department of Correction, Meade was taken to Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise on March 20, 2024, to be treated for self-inflicted wounds. As IDOC staff were preparing to transport him back to the prison, an unknown suspect, later identified as co-conspirator Nicholas Umphenour, fired a gun at officers, and a shootout ensued.
Meade and Umphenour escaped and fled, and were at large for more than a day before they were located and arrested in Twin Falls County after a short vehicle pursuit.
Prior to getting to Twin Falls County, the pair had gone north to the Lewiston area and the surrounding wilderness, which is where the killings of Mauney and Henderson took place.
Mauney was last seen in Juliaetta, north of Lewiston, while he was walking his dogs, according to Idaho State Police . His body was later found in a desolate area. That same day, deputies from neighboring Clearwater County found the body of Henderson in his cabin outside of Orofino. Police said shackles that belonged to Meade, along with Mauney’s dogs, were found in the cabin.
Both men were shot in the head, according to court filings.
Meade and Umphenour were indicted by a Nez Perce grand jury and charged in June 2024 for the murder Mauney. It wasn’t until October 2025 that Meade was charged in Henderson’s death, and Umphenour has not been charged with the murder yet. Umphenour has a jury trial date set for Sept. 8, 2026 for the murder of Mauney.
Nez Perce County Prosecutor Justin Coleman said on social media that a decision on a plea deal was reached after multiple conversations with law enforcement and the victims’ families.
“Through this agreement, Meade has admitted to the killings of Mr. Mauney and Mr. Henderson. Meade will spend the rest of his life locked up,” Coleman said in a statement. “The victims’ families and communities will be spared a difficult and prolonged trial and appeal process.”
Prosecutors previously stated they woud seek the death penalty for Meade and Umphenour if they were convicted of the killings.
Meade’s case was originally set to go to a jury trial in 2026, but that is now vacated. Meade has no chance of parole and has waived his right to appeal, but he will avoid the death penalty.
Meade was represented by Anne Taylor, who also represented Bryan Kohberger in the University of Idaho quadruple homicide case. Earlier this year, Kohberger took a similar plea deal, avoiding the death penalty. He also waived his right to parole and waived all appeal rights.
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