The Canyon County Sheriff’s Office on Friday confirmed its investigation into the Vallivue School District’s 2024 land deal is still active.

Idaho EdNews broke the story on April 17.

“No updates at this time, investigation still active,” a detective with the criminal investigation division told EdNews Friday.

The district in 2024 bought 87 acres of farmland from Dave Christensen, the father of trustee Clay Christensen, for $5 million. The land, intended for the site of a school, was appraised at $2.87 million.

“I knew about what I wanted, and, you know, it was really the only way I probably would have sold it,” Dave Christensen told EdNews in April about his $5 million price tag for the land.

Idaho code requires trustees to have property appraised before a purchase and that appraisal “shall be used to establish the value of the real property.”

Superintendent Lisa Boyd at the time defended the purchase and said the district complied with statute.

Later that month, EdNews obtained records from several other Idaho school districts that showed Vallivue’s deal bucked the norm by millions.

Five different land purchases in districts from around the state came in under the appraised value — and in two deals landowners gifted chunks of property — according to public records EdNews examined in a spot check of transactions over the past two decades.

Vallivue trustees have declined to answer any questions about the land deal. Trustee Toni Brinegar, who was board chair at the time of the 2024 purchase, referred EdNews to their attorney.

Two trustees have since resigned, leaving the board with three members. Brinegar resigned in June, and Paul Tierney resigned in August.

Boyd said both trustees had planned to resign after their kids graduated from Vallivue schools.

The district is looking for interested residents to apply for the vacancies.