ACSO

Ada County Sheriff Gary Raney has some new details to share about the Cartwright Road homicide case.

While the homicide investigation is still very much ongoing — and detectives are working around the clock to gather every piece of evidence and any possible information to help determine exactly what happened — there have been continuing developments that we can’t go into detail about right now that have provided some important answers on what happened.

“A few days ago, I could not confidently tell you not to be concerned about your safety. Today, I feel comfortable saying that you can sleep peacefully tonight – without fear and worry of an ongoing threat in the community,” Sheriff Raney said.

“I want to thank everyone who has called in a tip or shared information with investigators. Every new detail takes us one step closer to accountability for the person responsible for three gruesome murders and one step closer to justice for the Welp family.”

Ada County Sheriff’s detectives continue to investigate leads and work to figure out why three people were murdered inside a foothills home in North Ada County earlier this week.

Two men and a woman — 80-year-old Theodore Welp, his wife, 77-year-old Delores Welp, and their son, 52-year-old Thomas Welp— were found inside their home on North Cartwright Road, near Pierce Park Road, late Tuesday morning.

Deputies arrested a 22-year-old Adam Dees Wednesday in connection with the case. Deputies took Dees into custody while he was at the Best Buy store in Boise shortly after 3:30 p.m.

Dees is charged with three felony counts each of grand theft and forgery and a misdemeanor court of carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

Ada County prosecutors said Thursday Dees used credit cards taken from the Welp’s home to buy items at area stores, including the Buckle, Boise-area restaurant Barbacoa, and Best Buy.

For some of the purchases with the stolen credit cards, Dees forged the signature of members of the Welp family. Dees also had a handgun in his waistband when deputies arrested him Wednesday.

There is also evidence Dees was trying to sell a wedding ring earlier this week.

That ring — Elaine Welp’s diamond engagement ring — has been recovered from a local jeweler.

Dees is not charged with murder. Additional charges are possible. No one else has been arrested in connection with the case.

Dees is being held in the Ada County Jail on a $2 million bond. His next court appearance is set for March 26.

Detectives spent much of Thursday morning and afternoon searching Dees’ home in the 1700 block of N. Cody Ave. in Nampa for evidence.

Deputies also seized a 2003 black Subaru Legacy with a gold panel on the bottom Dees was driving when he went to Best Buy.

Anyone who saw that car near Cartwright Road or in East Boise between Sunday and Tuesday night and noticed anything odd should call detectives at 577-3701.

Sheriff Gary Raney said Wednesday the killing of the Welp family was one of the most violent crime scenes he had ever seen in over three decades working in law enforcement.

“When I say this crime is heinous, that is probably an understatement,” Raney told a group of reporters Wednesday. “Somebody, who violently, without cause, without any provocation that I know of, killed three innocent people. We are working 24 hours a day with everything we’ve got to put that person in jail.”

Deputies began investigating the case late Tuesday morning after a family member, who last heard from the Welps on Sunday, went to check on them today and called Ada County dispatch to report finding suspicious circumstances.

Deputies responded immediately and found the three adults dead inside the home. There were signs of a violent struggle inside and foul play.

This is very much an open and ongoing investigation, so information is limited at this point.

Anyone who knows about any possible connection between Dees and the Welp family should call detectives at 577-3701.

The Welp family released this statement Thursday.

“We are deeply saddened by the unexpected and tragic loss of our beloved parents and brother.  No words can adequately express the grief and despair we are feeling.  These were kind, caring and generous people who meant so much to us and have been senselessly taken from us.  

Please respect our family’s need for privacy during this difficult time.   We truly appreciate the outpouring of love, condolences and prayers from family, friends and members of the community.

We would like to thank the Ada County Sheriff’s Office for handling this investigation professionally and compassionately. We urge anyone with information about our parents’ or brother’s deaths to please let detectives know. We pray the person or people responsible for this horrific crime are held accountable so we can have some understanding of what happened and why.”

Anyone with information on the case should call detectives at 577-3701.