LaMere held on murder charges in Cascade jail

Mitchell LaMere, the man charged with setting a house fire on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation that killed a Box Elder man, has been transferred to Cascade County Regional Prison in Great Falls.

Hill County Detention Administrator James Dahl said Monday that LaMere, 24, of Box Elder was handed over to the FBI at 8 a.m. Thursday.

Dahl said LaMere was transferred to Hill County custody last week to be temporarily held until he could be taken by federal officials to appear before a magistrate.

Personnel at the prison in Great Falls confirmed LaMere is in detention there.

A federal indictment dated July 14 was filed with the U.S District Court for the District of Montana Great Falls Division. The indictment charges LaMere with one count each of first- and second-degree murder, a count of arson and a charge of first degree murder rule.

Felony murder rule allows a death that happens in the course of a dangerous felony to be charged as first degree murder.

No dates were set with the U.S Attorney's office for any future hearings.

Federal law dictates that the FBI investigate and the U.S Attorney's office prosecute felonies that occur on Indian reservations.

Charging documents filed with the Chippewa Cree Tribal Court in June say that in the early morning hours of May 19, LaMere set fire to a residence at 18 Indian Rock Road that killed Fred Bacon, 24, of Box Elder. A state medical examiner in Missoula later said Bacon died due to smoke inhalation.

Documents say that hours before the fire was set, LaMere had gotten into a fight with two men, A.J and Justin The Boy, who had been with his ex-girlfriend Taneal Sutherland at the residence. Charging documents say LaMere left the scene before returning with a bottle of gasoline and set the house ablaze.

He returned to the residence to start the fire with the intention of hurting or killing the The Boys and Sutherland, who, unbeknownst to LaMere, had left the house earlier, the documents say.

In June, LaMere, who was being held at the Rocky Boy Detention Center was brought before a judge in tribal court where he pleaded not guilty to charges of deliberate homicide, negligently endangering the life of another person, arson, malicious mischief and disorderly conduct.