POCATELLO — The trial of a Pocatello man accused of murdering a local woman nearly two decades ago officially began Tuesday.

Brad Scott Compher, who turns 49 on Wednesday, is accused of fatally stabbing 25-year-old Nori Jones to death inside of her Pole Line Road home in September 2004.

Since his September 2014 arrest, Compher has spent almost the past decade incarcerated at the Bannock County Jail awaiting trial, with much of the delay involved with his case being attributed to questions surrounding his level of competence, whether or not he should have faced the death penalty, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

A case that went cold, Compher was ultimately arrested and charged with felony first-degree murder in connection to Jones’ death after investigators with TNT’s true crime series “Cold Justice” assisted local law enforcement. The investigation uncovered DNA evidence that placed Compher at Jones’ home.

Eventually, it was determined that although Compher does have some intellectual disability, he is not disabled enough that he doesn’t understand the court proceedings and he can participate in his own defense.

Additionally, it was determined that Compher was disabled enough that it would be cruel and unusual punishment for him to face the death penalty in this case, which was taken off the table in April 2022 following about four years of argument between Bannock County prosecutors and Compher’s attorneys, Chief Deputy John Scott Andrew of the Bannock County Public Defender’s Office and contracted attorney Gary Edward Proctor of Baltimore, who has an extensive background handling capital cases.

Recently, it was determined that Proctor would serve as lead counsel for the trial, meaning that he will oversee the case and be the primary person to communicate with Compher as it proceeds.

Proctor is working the case pro hac vice, which means he is not licensed to practice law in the state of Idaho, therefore he would be unable to question witnesses or present evidence. Bannock County Deputy Public Defender Rilie Fry will also assist in Compher’s defense.

The prosecution team representing the state of Idaho includes Bannock County Assistant Chief Deputy Prosecutor Jonathan Radford, Chief Civil Deputy Brian Trammell and JaNiece Price, the homicide and narcotics specialist for the prosecutor’s office.

The first day of Compher’s trial was held at Idaho State University’s ICCU Bengal Alumni Center in Pocatello.

The venue was chosen because it offered a room large enough to conduct the jury selection process, which started Tuesday.

Jury selection will involve the 6th District judge handling the case, Javier Gabiola, as well as both the prosecution and defense teams questioning the prospective pool of 180 jurors to ultimately whittle it down to just 14 people — 12 acting jurors and two alternates.

All of Tuesday was spent doing jury selection, which is expected to be completed on Wednesday.

Gabiola said Tuesday that three weeks have been set aside for Compher’s trial but it could be completed sooner.

If Compher is found guilty of the first-degree murder charge, he faces up to life in prison.