Final Creston Murder Suspects Sent to Prison

A year after they watched a ruthless and meth-fueled murder in the woods east of Creston, David Vincent Toman and Christopher Michael Hansen were sentenced to the Montana State Prison for their role in the May 2016 death of Wade Allen Rautio.

The two men who were convicted of accountability to deliberate homicide earlier this year were sentenced simultaneously during an emotionally charged hearing in Flathead County District Court on July 20.

Toman was sentenced to 30 years in prison with 15 years suspended and credit for 401 days served in jail. Hansen was sentenced to 50 years in prison with credit for 402 days served.

The sentencing came a year after Robert Wittal stabbed Rautio more than two-dozen times over an alleged drug debt. Wittal was convicted of deliberate homicide at trial and was sentenced to 100 years in prison. Toman, Hansen and Melisa Ann Crone were all accused of accountability to homicide. Crone was later convicted of an amended charge of criminal distribution of dangerous drugs and sentenced to 40 years in prison with 20 suspended.

Toman pleaded no contest to accountability to deliberate homicide on April 27 and Hansen pleaded guilty to the same charge a week later.

During the sentencing hearing, Judge Dan Wilson heard testimony from friends and family of both the victims and the defendants that revealed a common theme: the plague of methamphetamine use in Northwest Montana.

“Today is a horrible day for everyone involved and it shows the horrible impact that drugs have had on this valley,” said Deputy County Attorney John Donovan.

Tomi Rautio, Wade Allen Rautio’s mother, told the judge of her son’s struggles with addiction and the impact his death has had on her family. She also thanked Toman for leading police to Rautio’s body a week after he was murdered. Toman’s assistance with the investigation likely earned him a lesser sentence.

The court also heard from a number of people in support of Toman. Friends and family described the 21-year-old man as someone who frequently went to church until he got involved with drugs.

“I raised my son to be the best he could be,” said Amber Tillett, Toman’s mother. “But he got messed up by the meth.”

Holding back tears, Tillett pleaded with the judge to look “at my son’s heart” and see that there was more to him than the felony conviction forever attached to his name. Toman wiped away tears as his mother spoke.

Initially, no one spoke on the 29-year-old Hansen’s behalf, but shortly before Judge Wilson was going to hand down his sentence, a note was handed to the attorneys indicating that Hansen’s mother, Lisa Edwards, wanted to speak to the court.

“Chris was not raised to be a monster,” she said. “I cannot comprehend what he did.”

After she concluded her remarks, she looked directly at the victim’s family and started to cry as she said “I am so sorry.”

Moments before Hansen and Toman were sentenced, Judge Wilson gave the men a chance to speak. Hansen remained silent, but Toman expressed regret for what happened a year earlier late one night in Creston.

“I have been haunted by the memories of that night for more than a year and they will continue to haunt me for a long time,” he said. “I am sorry.”