The judge overseeing the double murder case against Richard Ross has agreed to allow defense attorneys more time to file motions prior to trial.
Ross’ defense team has filed 20 motions, with most of them objecting to the death penalty. Additional motions and responses from attorneys will be due Aug. 14 and were previously due July 10.
Ross is charged with the first-degree murders of 76-year-old Edwina Devin and her 57-year-old son, Michael Devin. According to a probable cause affidavit, investigators believe Ross allegedly either smothered, strangled or inflicted violence on Edwina Devin at her Idaho County home near Grangeville the night of Sept. 30, 2021, then smothered or inflicted violence on Michael Devin early the next morning in Lewiston before burning his remains in Devin’s truck on Nez Perce Drive.
A motion by defense attorneys was filed June 1 objecting to the death penalty regarding the use of a firing squad as a means of execution.
Idaho lawmakers made the use of firing squads an option in death penalty cases when lethal injection isn’t an option.
