Man Who Treated Two Homeless Men to IHOP, Before Allegedly Drugging Them & Killing One, Is Sentenced

28-year-old Dallas Brower pleaded guilty to the first-degree murder of Justin Friesner, 24, earlier this year. Last week, according to The Idaho Statesman, he was sentenced to life in prison for murder and five years for assault; he'll be eligible for parole in 25 years.

According to accounts from prosecutors and witness testimony, Friesner and Cameron Russell were trying to sleep at a Boise bus stop on July 23, 2023, when Brower approached and offered to take them to breakfast. Taking Brower up on the offer, the pair then went with him to a nearby IHOP, had a hot meal, and then returned to his vehicle, per Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Katelyn Farley.

It's there, according to Farley, that Brower gave them a joint he later allegedly admitted was laced with fentanyl, causing the two to pass out. When Russell awoke, it was to a complete horror show.

"Cameron indicated after only having taken a few hits, his memory goes black before waking up to his best friend being stabbed by the defendant while still in the back seat of the defendant’s vehicle," said Farley, who claimed Brower had a "devilish smile" on his face as he stabbed Russell's friend. According to the coroner's report, Friesner was stabbed a total of 16 times and died from "sharp force injuries of the neck and chest."

Russell reportedly jumped into the driver's seat and attempted to drive away in Brower's car, but the vehicle got stuck in a gravel pit. As Friesner allegedly told his friend to make a run for it, Russell ran off, eventually finding someone who could call police.

When cops responded to the scene, they said they found Brower "covered in blood" with a "very calm" demeanor. He claimed the two men attempted to carjack him, though a buried knife and note written hours before the murder about his alleged desire to kill were later discovered.

Ahead of sentencing, a psychology expert reportedly testified they believed Brower suffered from schizoaffective disorder. His own lawyer, meanwhile, reportedly disputed the fentanyl allegations and denied the murder was premeditated. The attorney also claimed Brower said he had a history of hallucinations and had recently become more violent after his use of meth "ramped up."

He claimed his client had no plan to kill the pair when he picked them up, saying Brower started having hallucinations after the three sat down together to eat. Brower told his lawyer he heard "voices of thought that these are bad guys who had done bad things, and I need to do something about this."

He added, "It was almost an out-of-body experience. He was not in his right mind."

Russell also made a statement during sentencing, reportedly remembering Friesner as "the sweetest person I knew."

"It traumatized me. I could not sleep at night. I watched my own best friend die for no reason," he added. "The fact that he has no remorse or anything -- it's sad."

Brower also addressed the court, saying, "I would just like to apologize to everyone that's been affected by my actions, and know I'm here today willing and ready to accept whatever the consequences."

While handing out the sentence, 4th District Judge Derrick O'Neill reportedly told Brower, "I sincerely hope you have mental health issues. I would hate to think that your soul is so vacant that this was entirely, unconditionally premeditated and deliberate and remorseless."