Man in Hill County jail dies after fight with other inmate

An inmate at the Hill County Detention Center, Gordon Wayne Cochran, 54, of Chinook, has died after an altercation with another inmate Sunday at about 6:30 p.m., a press release from the Hill County Sheriff’s Office says.

Another inmate faces charges of deliberate homicide, although the sheriff’s office would not confirm if the two cases are related.

“A detention officer requested medical assistance for an inmate at the Hill County Detention Center, who had been in an altercation with another inmate,” the release says. “City of Havre Ambulance personnel transported Gordon Wayne Cochran, 54, of Chinook, to Northern Montana Hospital. Mr. Cochran was later pronounced dead at the hospital.”

The release added that the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation has been requested to investigate the incident and agents have responded. In accordance with Montana statute, a civilian coroner from another jurisdiction has been requested. Petroleum County Coroner R.J. Brown has agreed to fulfill the duties of coroner, it added.

Brown this morning confirmed he was going to fulfill the duties and has received the body, but has no further information at this time.

Cochran was arrested in Havre Saturday at 3:13 p.m. on two charges of disorderly conduct, one with physical contact, and resisting arrest after a man flagged down a patrol vehicle on First Street.

The Hill County Detention Center’s inmate roster this morning listed Jesse Shane Valdez of Havre, 24, as being held without bond on a new charge, suspicion of deliberate homicide. That pending charge was not listed on Sunday’s roster.

Valdez was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of burglary of a residence, criminal mischief vandalism, trespass to property and disorderly conduct, after a caller on Pike Street reported at 8:31 a.m. that a man had kicked a door in. Valdez has a $20,000 bond set for pending charges of burglary, trespassing, disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.