A Pocatello man accused of fatally striking his uncle with an electric flyswatter has been charged with second-degree murder, according to court documents obtained by EastIdahoNews.com. Andrew Shane Scoffield, 44, was taken into custody on Sunday evening following a violent altercation at a Park Avenue residence that ended in the death of Jeffery Scoffield.
The incident unfolded at a home in the 800 block of Park Avenue after months of escalating tension between the two men. Andrew Scoffield had been living with his uncle for several months, during which time he borrowed $600 from Jeffery Scoffield to secure a title loan. According to police reports, the financial arrangement quickly soured. Andrew Scoffield told investigators that his uncle began harassing him regarding the debt, at one point referring to him as “his maid.”
Sunday afternoon marked a breaking point in their cohabitation. Andrew Scoffield was reportedly in the process of gathering his belongings to move out when Jeffery Scoffield returned home. The encounter turned physical almost immediately. Court documents state that the uncle grabbed and shoved Andrew against a door frame before picking up an aluminum bat during the struggle.
The presence of the bat altered the dynamic of the confrontation. As the two men scuffled, the aluminum bat knocked a can of pepper spray to the floor. Andrew Scoffield retrieved the can and sprayed his uncle in the face, telling police he “unloaded” the entire container on Jeffery Scoffield’s face. The victim fell back into a chair, gasping for breath, as the two continued to fight on the floor.
In what prosecutors describe as the final blow, Andrew Scoffield allegedly used a large electric flyswatter to strike his uncle in the head. Court filings indicate the force of the blow caused Jeffery Scoffield’s head to snap back. Andrew Scoffield later fled the scene, going to a friend’s house to wash off the pepper spray residue before sending text messages to a cousin.
In those texts, Andrew Scoffield reportedly admitted he “might have killed him with an electric flyswatter.” The cousin, who had been trying to reach Jeffery Scoffield by phone without success, eventually went to the Park Avenue home, as first reported by the EastIdahoNews.com. Upon arriving, she found her father deceased in the front room. She began performing CPR until emergency services arrived on the scene.
The death was not immediately obvious to neighbors, though they had noticed erratic behavior from Andrew Scoffield in the days leading up to the incident. One neighbor reported seeing him riding a four-wheeler around the neighborhood and yelling profanities. Another neighbor observed Andrew letting air out of a vehicle tire belonging to his uncle—a detail confirmed by officers at the scene.
Law enforcement located Andrew Scoffield around 7 p.m. Sunday and took him into custody. During questioning, he admitted to using methamphetamine several weeks prior to the altercation but did not claim intoxication during the attack itself. He faces one count of murder in the second degree, a felony that carries a potential sentence of up to life in prison and fines reaching $50,000 if found guilty.
Legal Proceedings Begin Next Week
Andrew Scoffield is currently represented by a public defender. The case will move forward with a preliminary hearing scheduled for September 14 at the Bannock County Courthouse. During this proceeding, prosecutors must establish probable cause to bind the case over to district court for trial.
The use of an unconventional weapon in a domestic homicide is rare in Bannock County public safety records. While household items are frequently involved in fatal altercations, an electric flyswatter—typically used for pest control—has not been documented as a murder weapon in recent local cases. Investigators noted that the victim was covered in pepper spray when first responders arrived, complicating initial treatment efforts before it was determined Jeffery Scoffield had already passed away.
This case highlights the dangers of unresolved financial disputes and substance abuse within shared living situations. The $600 loan for a title loan served as the catalyst for weeks of harassment that culminated in violence. Local legal experts note that second-degree murder charges typically apply when intent to kill is not premeditated but death results from reckless indifference or depraved heart conduct.
Community members in the Park Avenue neighborhood have expressed shock at the tragedy, noting that while Andrew Scoffield had been acting strangely, no one anticipated a fatal outcome. The incident serves as a grim reminder of how quickly domestic tensions can escalate when left unaddressed.
For more information on public safety concerns in Southeast Idaho, including recent developments in authorities identifying an Arizona man recovered from the Snake River, readers can stay updated through local coverage. Additionally, residents should remain aware of seasonal health risks such as West Nile virus detected in mosquitoes near Swan Lake as summer transitions to fall.