How a former Driggs lawman with a bullet in his side captured a triple murder suspect

Editor’s note: This article was first published on July 16, 2023.

RIGBY — Mel Jones saw the trail of blood as he approached the suspect’s car on a small country road about half a mile east of Driggs.

It was around 5 a.m. on Aug. 28, 1971, and the 44-year-old man — who passed away in 2016 — had been the Driggs city marshal for three years. He happened to have a doctor in the car with him that morning as he responded to reports of a shooting. In the next few moments, Jones would need medical attention after taking a bullet point-blank just below his left rib cage. • Mel Jones’ half brother, Gordon, served as Teton County Sheriff from 1962-1968. Gordon’s final few months in office happened around the time Mel was hired as Driggs city marshal, according to Mel’s daughter-in-law Jean Jones.