POLSON – A 21-year-old Ronan man has entered a not guilty plea to deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence in the 2005 death of a St. Ignatius man.
Nathan Ross entered his plea Wednesday before District Judge C.B. McNeil in Polson. McNeil set his bail at $50,000.
Ross is charged in the July 2005 death of 73-year-old Harold Mitchell Jr. An autopsy showed Mitchell died of a knife wound to the neck that severed the carotid artery.
Prosecutors say Mitchell’s trailer was set on fire in an attempt to cover up evidence of how he was killed.
A lengthy investigation led to charges being filed late last month. Charging documents implicate three other men, all of whom are in state or federal custody.
A hearing is scheduled on April 28 to determine if Ross’ case should be transferred to Youth Court because he was 16 at the time of Mitchell’s death.
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