Idaho Man Dismembers Friend, Burns His Remains, and Sends Horrifying Letter to Victim’s Daughter Claiming He “Saved Them Funeral Costs”
CUSTER COUNTY, IDAHO — A 70-year-old Idaho man who shot, dismembered, burned, and dumped the body of a longtime friend — then later mailed a letter to the victim’s daughter claiming he “saved them money on funeral costs” — has been sentenced to 20 years behind bars, authorities announced.
Missing Man’s Truck Found With Blood, Brain Matter, and His Dog Still Inside
The investigation began on May 10, when 47-year-old Patrick Shelton failed to return from a wood-cutting trip. Deputies located his pickup truck abandoned near Big Hill, with Shelton’s dog still inside — but the scene immediately suggested something horrific had happened.
Detectives found blood spatter across the entire front interior, and what appeared to be brain tissue on the rearview mirror. Red hair matching Shelton’s was stuck to the window.
Next to the truck, officers found a piece of mail addressed to Alan Douglas Bruce, instantly shifting the case toward a suspected homicide.
Suspect Changed His Story — Then Confessed to Ambushing and Killing Shelton
Phone records revealed Shelton had been on Bruce’s property between midnight and 9 a.m. on May 8. Interviewed by investigators, Bruce first denied everything — then abruptly admitted he knew he was going to prison for a “long time.”
He described a bizarre and chilling series of events:
- He said the two men had a minor traffic accident
- He left, returned with an AR-15, and watched Shelton for hours using night-vision binoculars
- He approached Shelton in the dark, asking: “Do you want some of this?”
- He claimed Shelton raised a gun and said: “You better pull the trigger, motherf—er.”
Bruce told detectives:
“When that .45 came up, it was me or him.”
But investigators noted they have never recovered Shelton’s body, making Bruce’s story impossible to verify.
Dismembered With Chainsaw, Burned in a Barrel, and Dumped in a River
Bruce admitted to disposing of Shelton’s body using methods straight out of a horror film.
Investigators said Bruce:
- Dismembered the body with a chainsaw
- Burned the remains in a metal barrel
- Drove the barrel to a river and threw it off a bridge
- Dumped the murder weapon and Shelton’s gun
- Bleached and Shop-Vac’d the scene
- Towed Shelton’s truck to a remote area to stage his disappearance
Investigators also found bone fragments, glass, human flesh, and red hair scattered around Bruce’s property.
When asked why he never called authorities, Bruce delivered a chilling phrase:
“You shoot, shovel, and shut up.”
Killer Sent Taunting Letter to Victim’s Daughter
Perhaps the most disturbing detail came out in court:
One of Shelton’s daughters received a handwritten letter from Bruce after the murder.
According to her statement:
“He said he did us a favor by chopping up my dad and getting rid of him, because we’d save money on funeral costs.”
Authorities called the letter cruel, mocking, and deeply traumatizing for the victim’s family.
Courtroom Meltdown: Bruce Tried to Withdraw His Plea
During sentencing, Bruce was defiant. He tried to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming the killing was self-defense — despite previously admitting he watched Shelton for hours with night-vision gear before shooting him.
The judge denied his request.
Shelton’s daughters, still without their father’s remains, delivered emotional impact statements. One daughter said:
“He took our father, mocked us in a letter, and dumped his body where we will never find him.”
Bruce Sentenced to 20 Years; Body Still Not Found
Bruce pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and destruction of evidence. He will serve 20 years in an Idaho prison.
Authorities say they may never recover Shelton’s remains because the suspect burned and scattered them across multiple sites.
This case remains one of the most grisly and disturbing homicides Idaho prosecutors have ever described.
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