Man accused of stabbing partner denies homicide charge

A Whitefish man accused of killing a Kalispell man during a domestic dispute earlier this month pleaded not guilty Thursday morning in Flathead County District Court.

Ryan Cody Lamb, 34, appeared with his attorneys Alisha Backus and Emily Lamson in front of Judge Robert Allison. He remains in the county jail on $300,000 bond.

A hearing was scheduled for a possible bond reduction, but it was postponed until Sept. 4.

Lamb is facing the possibility of a prison sentence of 10 to 100 years, life in prison, or the death penalty. A jury trial was scheduled for Jan. 28, 2019.

Lamb is facing one felony count of deliberate homicide after he was arrested Aug. 5 by Kalispell Police in relation to the death of 31-year-old Ryan Edward Nixon. Nixon was found dead with a stab wound in a residence at 306 Two Mile Drive in Kalispell.

Court records indicate Lamb and Nixon were in a relationship and a dispute occurred during a sexual encounter.

According to Kalispell Police Detective Jim Wardensky, Lamb called 911 at about 3 a.m. on Aug. 5.

“He was there at the residence when we arrived and we took him to headquarters for questioning,” Wardensky said. “He was not immediately forthcoming with us.”

Wardensky said alcohol was probably a factor in the crime, and based upon his personal history, there had been previous incidents involving both men.

“We’ve investigated disturbances between both of them at least a couple of times,” Wardensky said. “Lamb told us they had been in a relationship for about 3 1/2 years.”

He said Nixon, who was originally from Lincoln County, had lived in Kalispell for the last six to eight months.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker can be reached at (406) 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.