Crime and Courts

Polson murder suspect's court appearance delayed

Posted: Mar 20, 2013 10:18 AM by MTN News

POLSON - The suspect in a fatal Polson stabbing appeared briefly in court on Wednesday morning before the judge continued his hearing until next week.

Makueeyapeh Whitford of Browning remains behind bars in the Lake County jail after being accused of killing John Pierre, 26, early Saturday morning at a house party on First Street East Polson.

Authorities were called to the residence at around 4 a.m. where they found Pierre, who was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center, where he pronounced dead.

Whitford, who has an extensive criminal history out of Washington State, including six felony convictions, was found about an hour later at a local motel.

Prosecutors say two people were sitting in a car near the house listening to music and when they turned the music down, Pierre reportedly went up to the car and asked what happened to the music. Investigators say in response to that question, Whitford allegedly came up to Pierre and stabbed him once in the chest with a folding knife. Whitford then left in a car, but not before one of the witnesses at the party slashed one of his tires with a knife.

Whitford is being charged with deliberate homicide charge. He is due back in court on Wednesday, March 27.