Hearing set in Thanksgiving killing

SANDPOINT - A preliminary hearing is set for today in the alleged first-degree murder of Elvin "Eli" Joseph Holt.

The hearing is scheduled to last all day in the magistrate division of 1st District Court. The hearing is to determine whether James Mathew Anderson should be bound over to stand trial on the murder charge.

Anderson is charged in connection with the shooting of Holt on Nov. 27, 2008. The shooting occurred outside Anderson's trailer at the Travel America mobile home park in Sagle on the night of Thanksgiving.

Anderson, 29, has been jailed since the killing. His bail is set at $500,000. Holt, 30, was shot in the face with a .44-magnum pistol, according to prior testimony in the case.

A Bonner County Sheriff's investigator has testified Holt and his half brother went to Anderson's home, where a scuffle reportedly broke out. Anderson apparently told police he was attacked and armed himself with the handgun in an attempt to scare the two off, but the weapon discharged accidentally and Holt was killed.

Evidence and witness statements, however, suggested Holt was already in the process of leaving Anderson's place when he was shot, according to court records.

Court records show detectives have secured a search warrant for the Ford F-250 pickup truck Holt and Ian James Freir, 23, drove on the night of the shooting. A blood spatter specialist was not available to examine the rig when the original search warrant in the case was issued, court documents indicate.

An investigator testified at an earlier hearing that the side of the vehicle was struck with gunfire when Holt was shot.