A 43-year-old Flathead County man has been accused of beating another man to death with a cement brick this week at a home in Kalispell.
Leigh Garrett Medina has been charged with felony deliberate homicide in the July 15 death of 67-year-old Paul David Kellenberger at his home on Lenwood Lane.
Medina was arrested shortly after law enforcement found Kellenberger’s body at the home near Woodland Park and was held in the Flathead County Detention Center on an unrelated charge while the sheriff’s office completed its investigation. Deputy Flathead County Attorney Andrew Clegg formally charged Medina with murder on Friday.
Medina’s bond has been set at $500,000. He is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 8.
According to charging documents, Medina repeatedly beat Kellenberger over the head with a large cement brick. When law enforcement arrived, they found Kellenberger dead on the kitchen floor. Deputies spoke to a number of witnesses, including one who was in the room when Medina allegedly killed Kellenberger. The witness said he told Medina to stop hitting Kellenberger but that he would not stop.
Two other people said they saw Medina leave Kellenberger’s home shortly after the assault. Medina told them “don’t say anything” as he left the scene.
Law enforcement later tracked down Medina at a residence on Third Avenue in Kalispell. Medina was questioned and admitted to being at Kellenberger’s home earlier in the day. Officers also observed blood on Medina’s clothing.
Charging documents offered no insight as to a motive in the alleged killing.
If convicted, Medina could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Medina has a spotted criminal history and has previously been convicted of theft and criminal endangerment. In 2009, Medina broke into a Kalispell home and stole tools, and in 2014 he randomly attacked a man who was working in his lawn.