27 year-old Massachusetts native Kevin Lino finally made his appearance in Missoula Justice Court on Thursday afternoon, after a long trip in a prisoner van from Shreveport Louisiana to Montana.

According to charging documents, Lino is accused of beating and then shooting Berry 'Jack' Gilbert on July 30th. Deputy Missoula County Attorney Shawn Thomas relayed the request of Assistant Chief Criminal County Attorney Jason Marks, to continue Lino's bail at $250,000. Judge Amy Blixt agreed, and remanded Lino back to the jail on $250,000 bond.

There is some confusion as to the victim's identity. The court documents identify him as 'Berry Jack Gilbert', while the Missoula County Sheriff's Office identify him as 'Gilbert George Berry'.

Shawn Thomas
photo by Peter Christian
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Court documents indicate that Lino and Kenneth Hickman beat Gilbert under the Reserve Street bridge, and then cut gang symbols into his body with a knife. It is alleged that Lino then shot Gilbert in the head with a 9 mm pistol and dumped his body in the Clark Fork River, where it was discovered by a fisherman several days later.

Hickman has already appeared in court on a charge of felony assault.

While in Louisiana, where Lino and an accomplice had fled to avoid arrest for the murder in Missoula, he was arrested, and then refused extradition. The Missoula County Attorney's office then utilized a Governor's warrant to compel Lino to return to Missoula to face charges. He arrived in Missoula on Tuesday.

The maximum penalty for deliberate homicide is death, life imprisonment, or a term from 10 to 100 years in the Montana State Prison. Judge Blixt set a preliminary hearing for November 7.

 

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