Man Sentenced For Killing Three People In The Boise Foothills

ADAM-TRIPLE MURDER

22-year-old Adam Dees, who killed three people in their Boise Foothills home, has been sentenced. Dees pleaded guilty to 3 counts of 1st degree murder and 1 count of robbery as part of a plea agreement. He will spend the rest of his life in prison, without the chance a parole. Dees will not get the death penalty.

The Ada County Sheriff’s Office says in early March, a family member called police concerned for the welfare of their family. They said they hadn’t heard from them for a few days and wanted someone to check on them. When police arrived they found Ted, Elaine, and Tom Welp, beaten, stabbed and shot to death in their home. A few items in the home, including Elaine’s wedding ring, were missing.

Several hours later police arrested Dees. He was found to be using the Welp’s credit cards and forging their signatures at several stores in Mountain Home and Boise.

Surveillance video from a Wal-Mart showed Dees at 5 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, buying a bat, a ski mask and a package of plastic zip ties, which were all used in the murders. Police believe the murders happened sometime on March 8th or March 9th. After the murders, police say Dees told a computer gamer what he had done. He allegedly said he was trying to rob the family but things got physical. Police say they also found the wedding ring the Dees had taken from the home and tried to pawn off.

Other evidence found against Dees included a piece of luggage that belonged to Ted Welp. It was found inside a trash can in the back of Barbacoa restaurant in Boise. Police say inside the luggage was the baseball bat, broken in two pieces, covered in blood. DNA later revealed that the blood on the bat belonged to Tom Welp.

In court in June, Dees admitted to everything he had done. “Sir, I killed three people and I robbed their home.”

The family of Dees and his pastor showed up to court for his sentencing hearing on August 28th. The defense said Dees had written letters to his family from the jail saying he was sorry for what he had done. The defense also claimed that Dees had suffered from depression and bipolar disorder. But the judge decided to sentence Dees to multiple counts of life in prison, without the chance of parole.