POLSON – A Bigfork man has been sentenced to 110 years in prison for breaking into a Ferndale house and shooting a man as he slept.
Ronald Petersen, 20, pleaded guilty to deliberate homicide in January for the Dec. 31, 2007, death of Clyde Wilson, 24. Petersen was sentenced to 100 years in prison for the homicide charge and 10 years for using a firearm during the commission of a crime. No restrictions were put on parole.
During Monday’s sentencing hearing, Petersen said he shot Wilson because he believed him to be a child molester.
Lake County Attorney Mitch Young said his office had no reason to believe Petersen’s accusation.
Young said before Wilson was shot, a 13-year-old girl had accused Wilson of trying to grab her from behind and pull her into the woods. Young said the girl never saw the suspect, told several versions of the story and eventually said Wilson didn’t do it.
Young said a letter from Petersen to the girl obtained by investigators indicated Petersen had a romantic interest in the girl.
Petersen was on leave from the Army at the time of the shooting. He was returned to Montana from Fort Bragg Army Base in North Carolina to face the charges.