'I'm a man of my word': Father shoots daughter dead and wraps pride flag around her body 'as a way to honor her,' police say

An Idaho antheral is accused of sidesplitting his girl and attacking his son successful a "horrific enactment of household violence."

Delbert Cornish, 51, has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated assault, tribunal records show. He is being held successful the Canyon County Jail without bond.

According to tribunal documents obtained by section NBC affiliate KTVB, Cornish had been readying to termination his 3 children and himself for astir a twelvemonth – ever since helium bought a achromatic 9 mm Hi-Point handgun successful September oregon October 2024. Then Monday rolled around.

Love existent crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life transgression stories delivered close to your inbox.

At a location connected the 1600 artifact of Blaine Street successful Caldwell, a suburb of Boise, the fishy took respective shots of intoxicant astir 9 a.m., helium allegedly told Caldwell constabulary officers. After doing so, helium entered the chamber of his 18-year-old girl – Hope Cornish – and changeable her successful the broadside of the head, a probable origin affidavit states.

He past kissed her connected the feature and changeable her feline "for the aforesaid reasons, due to the fact that nary 1 would instrumentality attraction of it aft they were each dead," the papers says. Delbert Cornish reportedly proceeded to screen Hope Cornish's assemblage with a ample cheery pridefulness emblem "as a mode to grant her, due to the fact that it was thing that meant a batch to her."

The hours passed, and it is unclear what the fishy did during this time, but erstwhile his lad arrived location from school, Delbert Cornish is said to person been waiting for him. He asked his lad – who is either 14 oregon 15 – however schoolhouse was earlier telling him "he had killed his sister," trying to person the lad to "check connected his sister," but the lad refused, the affidavit states.

"Delbert past went to the sofa [and] grabbed a gun," astatine which constituent his lad said helium wanted to leave, the affidavit says. But this was reportedly against the alleged shooter's plans.

Delbert Cornish is said to person "shot astatine the ground," blocked the doorway, and pointed the weapon astatine his son's chest. They fought implicit the gun, according to the child, with the lad yet winning power implicit the firearm. The teen past ran distant from the location to telephone 911.

Caldwell constabulary officers reported arriving astatine the location conscionable aft 4 p.m. connected Monday. When they entered the beforehand door, they saw a handgun mag connected the crushed and a achromatic Hi-Point handgun — without a mag — "sitting connected the sofa successful the surviving room."

Delbert Cornish was not home, but different clues into what had happened were astatine the residence.

More from Law&Crime: Man kills parent dormant successful her recliner with 'devastating' changeable to the face, spray-painted 'go to hell' connected the house, constabulary say

There was a "large enactment written connected the wall" betwixt the surviving country and kitchen, the affidavit said, adding that it appeared to beryllium a imaginable murder/suicide note. The enactment allegedly included statements specified arsenic "I'm a antheral of my connection my kids died by my hand. I'm bushed of them being made amusive of" and "I'm going! My kids are going with me."

Investigators besides recovered Hope Cornish's assemblage successful a chamber with a "large hatchet sticking into the exterior of the door." Her "facial tegument appeared pale" and she was "obviously dead," the affidavit adds. Officers began looking for a conveyance "associated with Delbert" – a 2020 orangish Dodge Challenger owned by his member – and with the assistance of licence sheet scholar cameras, they located it successful the metropolis of Mountain Home, astir an hr southeast.

He was heading to his ex-girlfriend's home, KTVB reported, and constabulary said helium was arrested "without incident." Once successful custody, helium allegedly admitted murdering his daughter.

"I'm not gonna lie, I did it dude," Delbert Cornish reportedly said unprompted arsenic an serviceman was preparing to trial him for gunshot residue (GSR). He past asked questions astir the transgression country and whether investigators had recovered his daughter's body, according to the affidavit. When the serviceman replied successful the affirmative, the fishy reportedly "began to cry."

"Delbert asked further questions astir the weapon and told maine helium should've changeable himself, arsenic good arsenic said helium didn't privation to sprout his son," the papers adds. "I aboriginal collected the GSR illustration from each of his hands. While collecting the illustration from his near hand, Delbert informed maine that helium changeable the weapon with his close hand."

The affidavit goes on, successful detail, astir an alleged motive.

"Delbert admitted to maine that helium is an alcoholic who struggles with depression," it states. "Delbert said helium is bushed of surviving and is bushed of being 'belittled' by his brother, whom helium his children unrecorded with. Delbert advised helium is bushed of his children being bullied by [his brother] and referenced named helium calls them[.]"

Delbert Cornish allegedly past outlined that helium wanted to termination his 3 children – which included a 24- oregon 25-year-old lad – but the program was "thwarted" erstwhile this older lad violated his parole a fewer months agone and was sent backmost to prison.

"Delbert explained helium wanted to termination his children on with himself due to the fact that helium believed nobody, particularly [his brother], would instrumentality attraction of them erstwhile helium was dead, and that they would not beryllium capable to transportation connected successful beingness without him," the detective wrote successful the tribunal document. "Because of this, helium believed they would each beryllium amended disconnected dead."

The fishy besides reportedly "said helium felt remorseful" for shooting his girl and said helium didn't deed his younger lad – whom helium said was his lone biologic kid – "because of his emotion for him."

Furthermore, portion Delbert Cornish initially told the detective helium did not effort to termination himself erstwhile his younger lad left, helium "later stated helium picked up the handgun from the crushed and enactment his to his close temple" conscionable to recognize it would not fire.

Delbert Cornish has a preliminary proceeding acceptable for Sept. 3.

"My bosom is heavy, and I americium profoundly saddened for the household and friends affected by this horrific enactment of household violence," said Caldwell Chief of Police Rex Ingram. "I americium thankful for the outstanding communal assistance and partnerships with our extracurricular agencies who assisted with identifying and capturing this savage without incident."