WALES, N.D. (KFGO) – A shooting in Cavalier County in northeastern North Dakota has left one man dead and another accused of murder.
Russell Hiltner is charged with Felony AA murder, theft of property and terrorizing.
According to court records filed in Northeast District Court, Hiltner is accused of shooting another man and then stealing and crashing his vehicle.
Sheriff Matthew Writght says he received a call from dispatch just before 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 26 about a shooting at Hiltner’s home in the 200 block of 2nd Street in Wales.
Deputies arrived at the home and found a man dead on the living room floor with a gunshot wound to the chest.
A witness said Hiltner walked up to the victim and said “you stole something from me,” then pulled a pistol from under the couch cushion and shot him.
The witness told deputies she feared for her life, thinking Hiltner was going to shoot her too.
Authorities found the victim’s vehicle pinned against a large tree near the intersection of County Road 55 near Wales. The airbags were deployed and Hiltner was inside the vehicle.
A deputy also located a 9mm handgun on the passenger seat with a round chambered.
Hiltner was taken to the Langdon Hospital and then air-lifted to Altru.
A search warrant was executed by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation at Hiltner’s home just after midnight on March 27.
Court records say the victim was located in the living room. A bullet was found embedded in the living room wall, and a 9mm shell casing was located near the victim.
Hiltner was arrested and a bond hearing is scheduled for Monday, March 30.
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