Mother of Idaho Falls Murder Victim: "He Would Never Hurt Anybody"

IDAHO FALLS - The mother of a 31-year-old man murdered at Tautphaus Park said her family is shocked and stunned after her son, Deraek Larson, was found dead Sunday morning.

“He was a good nice kid. He would never hurt anybody,” Debbie Larson said Wednesday afternoon. She said the family is in mourning and declined to comment further on the incident.

The playground at Tautphaus Park where Larson was murdered has been completely plowed down. Equipment was removed and all that remains is a patch of sand. A city employee working on the site Wednesday told EastIdahoNews.com grass will be planted on the spot and play equipment may eventually be installed again.

Police have released no new details surrounding Larson's death.

EastIdahoNews.com has learned Larson was raised in Salmon and recently moved to Idaho Falls. Family members say he lived with his brother.

Court records show he has had run-ins with the law and just one week ago, on August 12, he was in court in Bonneville County to arrange a payment plan for a December 2013 DUI conviction. He was currently on supervised probation until next April.

The documents show he previously worked at the Frosty Gator in Idaho Falls.

Larson’s body was discovered on playground equipment near Shelter 3 in Tauphaus Park. The man who found the body tells EastIdahoNews.com Larson had multiple stab wounds in the upper back and neck and was covered in blood.

Police said they think Larson was targeted and they don’t believe there is a threat to the public. They're asking anyone with information to contact them at (208) 529-1200.