Witness: Creston Murder Victim Pleaded for Life

A 35-year-old Kalispell man pleaded for his life in the woods east of Creston before being stabbed to death, according to testimony on the first day of Robert Matthew Wittal’s murder trial.

Wittal, 29, has been accused of deliberate homicide in the May death of Wade Allen Rautio. Wittal and three others, David Vincent Toman, 21, Christopher Michael Hansen, 28, and Melisa Ann Crone, 29, were all arrested in June following the discovery of Rautio’s body on Peters Ridge near Creston. Toman, Hansen, and Crone have all been charged with accountability to deliberate homicide. All four pleaded not guilty.

On Oct. 17, a 14-person jury at Flathead County District Court listened as prosecutors Andrew Clegg and John Donovan made their opening statements in what is expected to be a five-day trial before Judge Robert Allison. Through jury selection and their initial arguments, prosecutors painted a picture of the defendant being part of a seedy underground community.

“You are going to hear from people who live a different lifestyle than most of you,” Donovan said. “A lifestyle of drug use and violence. A lifestyle that you may not even realize exists in your community.”

Prosecutors have argued that in late May, Wittal, Hansen, Toman and Rautio drove to the Peters Ridge area early one morning where Wittal then stabbed Rautio to death and left his body in a creek. According to court documents, Crone allegedly told Wittal to kill Rautio because he had stolen drugs from her.

“You will hear from people who were at the house (on South Cedar Drive in Evergreen) when four men left and only three men came back,” Clegg said.

Clegg told the jury that according to an autopsy Rautio was stabbed 25 times in a “gruesome murder.”

After the prosecution’s opening statement, Toman took the stand and told the jury how he had driven the three other men into the woods after using methamphetamine. Toman testified that after stopping the car, Wittal told Rautio to get out of the vehicle, empty his pockets and get on his knees. Rautio did not follow Wittal’s orders and instead ran off. Wittal then chased Rautio and started to slash him when he fell, Toman said. Prosecutors showed the jury a large hunting knife inscribed with the words “peace be with you” that they say was one of the knives used to kill Rautio.

Toman testified that he heard Wittal tell Rautio to “get on your knees” and “don’t fight.” Rautio allegedly screamed back, “I’m innocent. Please don’t kill me.”

Toman said Wittal stabbed Rautio in the head. Toman said at one point he went back to the truck and waited for Wittal to come back. He said he did not see where Rautio’s body had ended up.

On cross-examination, defense attorney Steven Scott revealed discrepancies in Toman’s story and asked why he had told the police multiple versions of what happened the night Rautio died.

On June 13, Toman went to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office to report that Wittal had murdered Rautio a few weeks earlier. That same day, Toman took detectives to Peters Ridge and pointed out the body. Scott questioned Toman on how he knew where to find the body despite telling police he didn’t know where it was. Scott also asked why Toman didn’t tell police about Crone’s or Hansen’s involvement until two days later, on June 15.

“You were high on drugs at the time (of the murder), correct?” Scott asked.

“Yes,” Toman replied.

On the stand, Hansen said he has a common-law marriage with Crone, the woman who allegedly ordered Rautio’s murder. Prosecutors described Crone’s Evergreen home as a “flop house” where people would frequently come to use or deal drugs and some, like Rautio, would stay for days at a time.

Hansen testified that Rautio had allegedly stolen methamphetamine from Crone and that the woman had kicked the man out in late May. Since Rautio didn’t have a car, Hansen, Wittal and Toman agreed to take the man home but instead drove to the woods near Creston.

“At first we were going to take him home, but then it escalated to taking him to the woods and kicking his ass,” Hansen said.

Hansen said that once the men got to Creston, Wittal pulled out a knife and started to chase and stab Rautio.

Hansen testified that at one point Wittal had dropped the knife in the creek. Hansen then pulled out another knife and gave it to Wittal.

During cross examination, defense attorney Scott hinted that he believed Hansen had actually murdered Rautio and that Wittal was not even allowed in Hansen’s house at the time of the murder. Scott produced an image of the back of the front door at Crone’s house featuring a handwritten list of names of people not allowed in the trailer. Among the names of those not welcome was Wittal. But Hansen said Wittal’s name was only added to the list after he had murdered Rautio.