Christopher Newrider Arraigned On Charge of Deliberate Homicide

On Tuesday, 33 year-old Christopher Newrider appeared in Missoula District Court before Judge Robert L. (Dusty) Deschamps on a charge of deliberate homicide.

Deputy County Attorney Jordan Kilby was the prosecutor and explained the proceedings.

“Christopher Newrider was charged with deliberate homicide for the death of Sundance Hernandez,” said Kilby. “He is alleged to have shot Sundance on December 8 at the Creekside apartments in the parking lot in Missoula. Yesterday was Christopher's arraignment, so he came in and pled not guilty. The judge went through some of his rights. He said he understood those rights and then we set February 16^th for an omnibus hearing.”

According to court documents, Newrider and Hernandez knew each other in prison. There was a conversation about some televisions that Newrider was holding for a mutual friend, Fred Lawrence, and when Hernandez arrived with Lawrence at the Creekside Apartments, Hernandez exited the vehicle to speak with Newrider.

The affidavit states ‘Newrider stated he was not going to talk to Hernandez about it with Lawrence there and then Newrider shot Hernandez.’

Newrider then fled the scene and was apprehended the next day and jailed for Hernandez’ death.

At his court appearance on Tuesday, Kilby said there was an effort to have Newrider transferred to Powell County.

“His defense attorney asked that he be transported to Powell County to the Powell County Detention Facility and asked that he be held there rather than in Missoula, I think essentially because that's where his family is,” said Kilby. “He was on parole out of Powell County at the time that these offenses were committed. I didn't object to that transfer as long as the bail remained set and the court granted that, but as far as I know, he is currently still in the Missoula County Detention Facility.”

As of noon on Wednesday, Newrider was still in the Missoula County Detention Center on $1 million bond.