Man allegedly planned to kill former son-in-law

LEWISTON — A 40-year-old North Dakota man was expecting to pick up his children in the parking lot of the Lewiston Rosauers grocery store Friday night, but was allegedly gunned down by his former father-in-law.

John A. Mast died a short time later at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center from multiple gunshot wounds.

On Monday, Nez Perce County Magistrate Judge Michelle Evans ordered a $1 million bond on a first-degree murder charge for James R. Brashear, 67, of Winchester, who allegedly confessed to Lewiston police that he went to the scene for the express purpose of killing Mast.

Deputy Nez Perce County Prosecutor Shelby Sieracki said the state requested the high bond because the shooting took place in a public parking lot at the busiest time of day, and that Brashear poses a threat to the community and himself.

According to an affidavit of probable cause charging Brashear with first-degree murder, he told police that his daughter, Rebecca Brashear-Mast, had been in a four-year custody battle with Mast over their children. He claimed that Mast had sexually abused the children, but no charges were ever filed.

In a statement Monday to the Lewiston Tribune, Mast’s brother, Samuel Mast, called the allegations “false and vile,” and said his brother had been exonerated and granted weekend custody of the children.

“Instead of meeting his beautiful children he was met by (Brashear) and shot multiple times,” Samuel Mast wrote. “This was so wrong and horrific on so many levels. John’s fight is over and he is at peace forever. The Mast family wishes to at this time extend forgiveness to the Brashear family. We pray they may find the peace they seek and we pray for the killer’s soul. We believe in a God that is bigger than this and we believe that somehow good will come of this. Rest In Peace beloved brother.”

A Facebook group called “I Stand with John” that was created Saturday featured several posts also claiming that the allegations of sexual abuse were false. The group had nearly 600 likes by Monday afternoon and an online fundraiser had garnered more than $1,000 for the children in the apparent custody dispute.

Brashear told police he had been with his daughter most of the day Friday after she got notification from her attorney that a court had granted unsupervised visitation of the children starting that night, according to the affidavit. They went to child protective services and the courthouse in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the order. That is when Brashear told police that he decided he was going to go to the grocery store and kill Mast, then kill himself.

Approximately 20 minutes before the shooting, Brashear said he removed his tan Glock 9mm handgun from the center console of his wife’s vehicle, placed it on the passenger seat of his daughter’s vehicle, then drove to Rosauers to wait for Mast shortly before 6 p.m., according to the affidavit.

“Brashear said when Mast exited his vehicle to adjust/arrange car seats, Brashear walked up to Mast who had his back turned,” Lewiston Police Department Detective Tyler Crane wrote in the affidavit. “Brashear said he said something to the effect of ... Hi, John. When John turned around, Brashear said he shot him in the chest with his Glock 9mm pistol from only a few feet away. Brashear said Mast began running away and Brashear fired approximately 3 more shots at Mast’s back as he was running away.”

Several people witnessed the event, including Mast’s sister, according to the affidavit. It was also captured on the store’s video surveillance system.

Evans initially appointed the Lewiston firm of Magyar, Rauch and Associates to represent Brashear. But later in the hearing, Brashear told the judge that he mistakenly filled out an application for a public defender and wanted to hire his own attorney. Evans did allow him to keep the public defender until he can obtain private counsel, however.

The judge set a Feb. 17 preliminary hearing for Brashear. If convicted, the maximum penalties for first-degree murder are death, or life in prison.

Joel Mills may be contacted at jmills@lmtribune.com or at (208) 310-1901, ext. 2266.