By Josh Margolis
HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) –23-year-old Xavier Alexander Clark was arraigned on three felonies in Hill County District Court on Monday morning based on allegations that his actions at a Havre residence last month resulted in the shooting death of 21-year-old Dyllan Murray.
Clark appeared virtually from the Hill County Detention Center and pleaded not guilty to one count of negligent homicide with a dangerous weapon and two counts of assault with a weapon.
Hill County is receiving assistance in the prosecution of this case from Assistant Attorney General Daniel Guzynski, who appeared virtually. Jay Reno, a lawyer from Whitefish, is representing Clark and was present in Court.
Clark remains in the Hill County Detention Center, and bail is set at $250,000. Clark would be subject to monitoring if released.
Community Shows Support for Murray
Since the tragedy last month, the community has honored Murray.
Two weekends ago, dozens of people drove pickup trucks around Havre.
“That meant a lot for the family,” David Murray, Dyllan’s father, told New Media Broadcasters. “He loved his Ford trucks. In fact, the first one I ever got him was a 1957 F100, which now I’m going to be working on. And then he had his 78th I’m going to rebuild for him also. And he had just bought a newer F350. That’s what we were trying to make the parade for. It was amazing to see how many people came out and supported Dyllan.”
David Murray says he wants his son to be remembered as a friend to many.
“He was a fun-loving kid. Everyone loved hanging out with him. If anybody needed a ride home from the bar or what-not, he was always making sure people made it home safe. Just an all-around good kid.”
Family Notification
Although David Murray says he believes this case is being handled well so far, he says he wishes authorities would have notified him of his son’s death sooner.
Murray says it took 6 1/2 hours for Havre Police to inform him of his son’s death, and he actually found out from about what happened earlier from one of Dyllan’s friends on social media.
When reached for comment, Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich said this is an unfortunate byproduct of the age we live in.
“Anybody there and that left the scene, they are going to go to social media before we even get going on the investigation. So unfortunately, with the social media world that we live in, that has a tendency of happening.”
