Lewiston City Council hopeful has felony on record

Nov. 1—Rick Eldridge, a Lewiston City Council candidate, was convicted of second-degree murder through a plea of no contest in Alaska in the mid-1990s.

The offense occurred on Feb. 23, 1995, according to a judgment and order of commitment/probation from the Superior Court for the state of Alaska at Kodiak, obtained through a Tribune records request.

Eldridge told the Tribune in an email he's innocent of the crime and has not tried to keep his past a secret.

He describes a statement made by a former village public safety officer who was a witness as "false."

Eldridge said he was released from prison 2008 and his rights have been restored.

One person died in the incident that happened at Eldridge's home in Larsen Bay, Alaska, according to a sworn statement of a law enforcement trooper in an affidavit filed in the case.

The trooper based his sworn statement on what was shared by a former village public safety officer who witnessed the death. The trooper was not on the scene at the time of the death.

The former village public safety officer was summoned to the residence because Eldridge, who went by the name of Richard Hochmuth at the time, and another man were fighting, according to the affidavit.

The former village public safety officer said that when he arrived, Eldridge had a knot on his face, and that he tried to "hurry" the man from Eldridge's home, according to the affidavit.

As that was happening, the former village public safety officer said Eldridge retrieved a 300 magnum rifle from his bedroom, went to the entryway of his home, and stated "How 'bout I kill you right now?" then shot the man in the head, according to the affidavit.

The weapon used in the "struggle" was his, but he didn't pull the trigger, Eldridge said.

The events that resulted in his conviction occurred "from a night of heavy drinking" with family and friends and the man who died was his "best friend" and cousin, who was like a "brother," Eldridge said.

The former village public safety officer was summoned because he was the only law enforcement figure in the community, Eldridge said.

Larsen Bay is a town with fewer than three dozen blocks of streets on an island in the Gulf of Alaska.

His life was very different before that night, Eldridge said.

"As a husband and father in Alaska, I was a pillar of our community, serving as a city councilor, tribal president and tribal manager," he said. "I was employed by the city and a volunteer fighter/EMT as well."

He fought unsuccessfully to have his conviction overturned and to "clear my name," Eldridge said.

Since his release from prison 15 years ago, he has led a "quiet life" that does not involve drinking alcohol, Eldridge said.

"I'm a good honest man that paid my debt to society 10 times over," he said.

He changed his last name from Hochmuth to Eldridge in 2020 because Eldridge is his dad's name and his dad wanted him to take that name before he died, Eldridge said.

"It had nothing to do with my past," he said.

Eldridge has been a registered voter in Nez Perce County since March 2020, said Nez Perce County Auditor Patty Weeks.

At the time he registered to vote, he had lived in Idaho 15 months, according to his voter registration form obtained by the Tribune.

In Idaho, those convicted of felonies automatically have their rights restored to them after they serve their prison time and probation, allowing them to vote and serve in public office, Weeks said.

Eldridge is one of eight individuals seeking three four-year terms on Lewiston's city council in Tuesday's election.

The others are Maureen Anderson, David Funke, Jim Kleeburg, Jessica Klein, Darlene Lambert, Brennon Leafty and John Spickelmire. Kleeburg and Spickelmire are incumbents.

The top three vote-getters win.

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.