A tragic and disturbing incident unfolded in Victor, Idaho, as a 10-month-old baby named Zeke Best was found dead on a roadside, just one day after an Amber Alert was issued for his disappearance. The discovery came in the wake of the homicide of his pregnant mother, Kali Jean Randall, who was found dead in her home. Her husband and Zeke’s father, Jeremy Albert Best, was identified as a suspect in both his wife’s murder and their child’s abduction. This horrifying chain of events has left the victim’s family grappling with immense grief and disbelief.
The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office conducted an exhaustive 30-hour search for Zeke after his mother’s lifeless body was discovered. Authorities declared Jeremy Albert Best as an “armed and very dangerous” suspect in his wife’s homicide and his son’s disappearance. An Amber Alert was subsequently issued to aid in the search for Zeke.
Tragically, Zeke’s lifeless body was discovered on the side of a road early on a Saturday morning. The grim find was made by a group of hunters who reported a man in a sleeping bag near the scene. The man was later identified as Jeremy Best. The sheriff’s office noted that the caller described the man as naked and making unusual statements.
Following the discovery of Zeke’s body, Jeremy Albert Best was taken into custody on a warrant related to his wife’s murder. However, specific charges had not yet been announced by the police, as the investigation was ongoing at the time of reporting.
The heartbreaking situation has left the family devastated, with Brian Randall, Kali Randall’s brother, expressing their pain and gratitude for the support they have received. He mentioned that “our Zeke is now at rest with his loving mama and unborn sibling,” emphasizing the unimaginable pain they were enduring. The family requested privacy as they grappled with the tragedy and the ongoing investigation.
The tragedy of Zeke’s death is a grim reminder of the importance of Amber Alerts in finding missing children. While most missing children named in Amber Alert notifications are found alive, there are heartbreaking exceptions, as was the case with Zeke. Data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) revealed that in 2021, two children were found dead among the 254 Amber Alerts issued. In 2020, 10 children were located deceased among the 200 Amber Alerts issued that year. Despite these tragic outcomes, Amber Alerts have successfully led to the safe recovery of about 1,500 children as of September 2023.
The story of Kali Randall and Jeremy Albert Best is one marked by a sudden and horrifying turn of events. The couple had married in September 2022, and Brian Randall described his sister as a beautiful soul who had transitioned from being a veterinarian technician to an artist specializing in handcrafted jewelry.
Jeremy Best’s actions leading up to the tragic incident were unusual and alarming. He had walked into a general store in Swan Valley, Idaho, naked, which prompted a report to law enforcement. He was taken to a hospital but was released the same day after being medically cleared. At that time, his apparent medical and potential mental health needs were deemed more pressing than any criminal concerns.
Later that day, deputies responded to an open 911 call at the residence shared by Best and Kali Randall. Tragically, Kali was found unresponsive and declared dead at the scene. An arrest warrant was issued for Jeremy Best in connection with his wife’s homicide, with law enforcement emphasizing his dangerousness.
The tragic discovery of Zeke’s lifeless body near his father’s location marked the culmination of a devastating series of events, leaving a family shattered and a community in shock. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding these deaths and the motive behind them remained ongoing, leaving many unanswered questions in its wake. Brian Randall summed up the ordeal by reflecting, “Sometimes, maybe you don’t know people.”
