Whitefish woman charged with homicide

A Whitefish woman’s assault charge has been increased to murder after her husband died.

AnnMari Newton, 39, was charged Friday with mitigated deliberate homicide (or an alternate charge of negligent homicide) after her 37-year-old husband, Chad Newton, died after being stabbed in the heart.

She initially was charged with assault with a weapon after allegedly stabbing her husband on Nov. 25 at their Whitefish home. Chad Newton was hospitalized, but after it was determined he would not recover, he was removed from life support a week ago and died Sunday.

According to a document filed Friday by the Flathead County Attorney’s Office, Eirik Jorgensen, a man who had been staying with the Newtons, said the couple had been arguing heavily for a couple of days preceding the stabbing and had been drinking “more and more.”

Jorgensen told a detective that, on the day of the stabbing, the couple had been arguing since the beginning of the day and he at one point walked into the kitchen to find AnnMari Newton holding a large knife, facing her husband in a combative stance.

The document alleges that Jorgensen told AnnMari to put the knife down and she responded, “Shut up.” Jorgensen said he heard Chad Newton yelling, “If you try to stab me with that knife, I will kill you.”

Jorgensen told police that his back was turned when he heard a scream. He turned to see Chad Newton lying face down and bleeding.

Not included in the document was Jorgensen’s reported statement that Chad Newton also was holding a knife, a claim AnnMari’s attorney Sean Hinchey made during a Dec. 20 bond hearing.

On Friday, Hinchey elaborated on the claim, saying Jorgensen told the detective that Chad Newton was going at his wife with a knife as well, and that is corroborated by an EMT report that when responders rolled him over, they found a second knife underneath him.

The document does allege that she told a detective she stabbed her husband accidentally when she made a stabbing motion with the knife intended to get him to “back off” and she did not realize he was standing so close to her.

During the bond hearing, Deputy County Attorney Travis Ahner said AnnMari Newton has told contradictory stories, at one point claiming a stranger had come into the home and stabbed Chad Newton.

AnnMari Newton has been released from custody after posting $25,000 bond. Ahner has stated he will be seeking a higher bond amount due to the increased severity of the charge, an attempt Hinchey said Friday has been denied by district judges Heidi Ulbricht and Robert Allison.

“Judge Allison heard all the facts [at the Dec. 20 hearing] and the facts have not changed in any significant fashion,” Hinchey said. “Now Travis wants to go behind those people’s backs and get an increase in bond.”

He pointed out that it was explained at the prior bond hearing that Chad was unresponsive and that it was likely that he would be removed from life support.

“This is a clear case of self-defense, and, as more facts come to light such as there being two knives involved, I would say this is the clearest case of self-defense I have ever been involved in,” Hinchey said.

An arraignment hearing on the new charge has been set for Jan. 23.

Mitigated deliberate homicide carries a possible penalty of between two and 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 while negligent homicide is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and the same fine. Felony assault with a weapon carries the same possible penalty as negligent homicide.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at jdavis@dailyinterlake.com.