Man accepts plea deal, pleads guilty to role in Echo Lake murder case

A man charged in the murder of Wade Rautio in May 2016 changed his plea to guilty on May 4 in accordance with a plea agreement with the state.

Charged with accountability to deliberate homicide, Christopher Michael Hansen, 29, testified that Rautio was stabbed to death by Robert Wittal but admitted to supplying the murder weapon before Flathead District Court Judge Dan Wilson.

According to Hansen, he drove out to Peter’s Ridge with three other people, including Rautio and Wittal. Upon entering the woods, Hansen said Wittal began to assault Rautio with a large knife he had brought from Hansen’s residence.

Hansen stated that before Wittal began his assault, he had been under the impression they were only going to “rough up” Rautio for allegedly stealing drugs from one of his co-defendants and had no part in planning the murder.

However, Hansen admitted to intentionally preventing Rautio from escaping by striking him as he attempted to flee.

“Then you made what was probably the biggest mistake of your life, wasn’t it?” Hansen’s attorney, Lane Bennett, asked him.

Smiling, Hansen said yes.

According to Hansen’s testimony, Wittal lost the knife he was using to “hack away” at Rautio during the struggle. Wittal had Rautio pinned to the ground when he called out for someone to give him a knife.

Then Hansen said he reached into his pocket and gave Wittal one of his own knives, which was later identified as the final murder weapon.

At that point, Hansen said he had nothing more to do with the murder other than hiding the knife.

According to court documents, Wittal stabbed Rautio at least 25 times and stashed his body beneath a log near Echo Lake where authorities later found and identified him.

Hansen’s sentencing is set for July 13. He could face up to life in prison.

His co-defendants, David Toman and Melissa Crone, have also accepted plea deals with the state and are awaiting sentencing.

Wittal was convicted of deliberate homicide in January 2017 and sentenced to 110 years in Montana State Prison.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.