HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A jury trial has been set for a former Montana firearms safety instructor accused of fatally shooting his hunting partner.
The Helena Independent Record reports 62-year-old Gregg Robert Trude, of Helena, automatically entered a not-guilty plea on Wednesday, which is standard during an arraignment.
His trial is set for May 6.
Trude is charged with negligent homicide and tampering with physical evidence, both felonies, in the death of Dr. Eugene "Buzz" Walton.
The 48-year-old Walton was shot with a hunting rifle on Oct. 21, 2018, after he and Trude had just returned from a hunting trip. Officials have not specified who owned the rifle or who was handling it when it was discharged.
The Independent Record has filed a request for the police report that led to the charges against Trude and is awaiting a response.
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Information from: Independent Record, http://www.helenair.com