A Dear Cousin

I guess this post is a tribute to my dear cousin. Rayce Rindfleisch.

February 27, 2008 my cousin was shot and killed by police officers in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Weighing in at 10 lb 4 oz, Rayce was born May 25, 1976, in Independence, Missouri, the son of Randy and Jerilyn Rindfleisch. The family relocated to Blackfoot, Idaho, in 1981, where Rayce attended schools and graduated from Blackfoot High School in 1994. As a young man, he enjoyed all sports and excelled in football and wrestling. One of his favorite and most memorable accomplishments was in wrestling, where he was awarded a state wrestling championship in 1993. He also enjoyed fishing, cooking and socializing with family and friends. With the help of his "gift of gab," Rayce worked most of his adult years in the car business.

Rayce was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and graduated from Seminary. He was well liked by everyone who knew him well. Rayce never married but is survived by one son, Brogan Martin of Blackfoot. Other survivors include his parents, Randy and Jerilyn Rindfleisch of Idaho Falls; brothers, Cade (Jaimie) Rindfleisch of Idaho Falls, Dallas Rindfleisch of Biddeford, Maine; sister, Shantae (Michael) Miller of Las Vegas, Nev.; nieces and nephews, Sage, Carter, McKay and Ella Rindfleisch of Idaho Falls.

Rayce was preceded in death by his grandparents, George and Merle Hone and Donna Henning, who will be greeting Rayce on the "other side." A funeral service will be at 1 p.m., Tuesday, March 4, 2008, at the Blackfoot LDS Stake Center, 1650 Highland Drive, Blackfoot, Idaho, with President Kent Taylor conducting. The family will meet with friends from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday, March 3, at Hawker Funeral Home, 132 S. Shilling Ave. in Blackfoot, and for one hour before the service at the stake center. Interment will be in the Grove City Cemetery.
Thank you for remembering, understanding and bringing comfort during this time.

Family Tribute

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I guess the story starts earlier that night. Now all information are bits of pieces that were told here and there, but they are factual.

Rayce was a good kid. He was a great cousin. He played football and wrestled. However after highschool his life took a turn down a different path than what everyone thought he was headed. He had been arrested a few times, spent time in Jail and when he tried to get help and start a new path he would fall back to where he was.

He was getting ready to leave Idaho and start a new life. He had bought a car earlier that day and around 8:05 pm a deputy pulled over a black Land Rover at Sunnyside and Sonora in Idaho Falls because he didn't have a license plate. The deputy began to approach the SUV and recognized the driver, Rindfleisch, 31, as someone authorities needed to be on the look out for. The bulletin also said Rindfleisch was armed and dangerous. (However Rayce was not armed)The deputy quickly turned back to his car and called for backup. That's when the Land Rover speed off.

In the Land Rover there were two others. The Idaho Falls Police Department and Bonneville County Sheriff's Office began to chase the suspects through Idaho Falls. The Land Rover crashed into a snowdrift on Leesburg and all 3 suspects fled on foot.

As Rayce ran on foot he came to a house and walked in there he spoke with the family that owned the house asking them to help him and allow him to stay there until the cops left the area. After he was asked to leave by the husband Rayce noticed keys on the counter that coincidentally belonged to the families white truck and started out of the culdasac. Rayce's family figured out that Rayce could have only been going 10 - 15 mph which then allowed Police Officer to jump onto the truck. One of the officers was able to smash the drivers side window in grab Rayce's shirt and shoot him in the head. He was then shot in the back two more times.

The truck then rammed into the back of a squad car and completely smashed in the back of the deputy's car.

Officers then came up to the truck, Rindfleisch from the truck, layed him on the ground and handcuffed him. Paramedics came to his side, but they said he was already dead.

He will always be the Rayce that was funny, nice, polite, gabby and he will be loved and missed.

I Love You, Rayce