Bail denied in homicide case

An airman from Mountain Home Air Force Base facing charges of first-degree murder was denied bail during a hearing April 3 at the Elmore County Courthouse.

Richard R. Laubach, 20, stands accused of inflicting injuries that led to the death of his stepson, Joseph "Joey" Graham III.

During last week's hearing, Judge David Epis also denied a request to appoint a second attorney to Laubach's defense team.

The airman is currently due back in court the morning of May 20 for a preliminary hearing. Scheduled to last two days, the outcome of that hearing will determine if sufficient evidence exists to bind Laubach over to district court to face the felony murder charge.

According to the criminal complaint, Laubach stands accused of assaulting the 22-month-old child at the family's residence the afternoon of March 12 with the intention of inflicting violence or great bodily harm. The extent of injuries inflicted on the toddler included a broken left leg, fractured skull, swelling of the brain and extensive bruising.

The child died the following morning at St. Luke's Regional Medical Center in Boise.

In a press statement, Ada County Coroner Erwin Sonnenberg said that the child's death appeared to be trauma related. An amended death certificate indicated the child's death was a homicide as the result of "abusive head injury."

Laubach was arrested at a Boise hospital the evening of March 12 on an arrest warrant issued in Elmore County. Originally, he was charged with a felony count of injury to a child before the criminal complaint was amended to first-degree murder.

He remains in custody at the Elmore County jail.

Laubach is an airman first class assigned to the 366th Security Forces Squadron at the local Air Force base. It wasn't immediately known what he did at the nearby base or when he was originally stationed there.

Members of the victim's family have declined to speak to the media. However, they requested the public to respect their privacy -- in person, by telephone or through social media -- to allow them a chance to grieve.