New details in shooting death released

Havre Police Chief Gabe Matosich said the shooting death of 21-year-old Dyllan J. Murray of Havre Sunday morning appears to be the result of the careless handling of a firearm during a party.

Xavier Clark of Havre, 23, is being held without bond in the Hill County Detention Center on charges stemming from the fatal shooting, which took place inside a residence on the 10 block of Saddle Butte Drive early Sunday.

A Havre Police Department press release said the department’s dispatch center received a call at 1:57 a.m. Sunday in which the caller reported a gunshot inside the residence.

Police and emergency services responded and Murray was declared dead at the scene.

Clark was held in the Hill County on a pending a felony charge of negligent homicide Monday morning, but has since been charged with an additional two counts of assault with a weapon, Matosich said this morning.

Clark is being held without bond on the pending charges.

Matosich said the investigation in proceeding smoothly. The autopsy of Murray has been completed and the scene has been released.

Based on the facts the department now has, he said, it appears that this wasn’t the result of a fight between Murray and Clark, but of the latter carelessly handling a firearm.

Matosich said Clark pointed the gun at Murray and the gun went off killing the latter during a party where people were bringing guns and handling them irresponsibly.

Further investigation will need to be conducted to see if the weapon malfunctioned or if the shooting was accidental, but the incident is tragic regardless, Matosich said.

He said documents on the new charges against Clark have been sent to the Hill County Attorney’s Office and should be filed with the courts by tomorrow.