Murder suspect sentenced in battery case

SANDPOINT — A Sagle murder suspect was sentenced Wednesday in a misdemeanor battery case connected to the slaying of Elvin “Eli” Holt last year.

Judge Barbara Buchanan sentenced James Matthew Anderson to six months in jail, but suspended half the sentence in order to keep James Matthew Anderson under the court’s supervision for the next two years.

“I want him on supervised probation because this was a serious incident,” Buchanan said.

If Anderson were ordered to serve the maximum 180-day sentence, the court would have been prevented from imposing supervised probation.

Anderson, 28, was accused of playing a supporting role in an attack on Justin Stuart Hines on Oct. 1, 2008, in the Unicep Packaging parking lot. Hines, 29, was on break and seated in his vehicle when he was allegedly set upon by Patrick Keith Eroso Ziarnick and Anderson, according to Sandpoint Police reports.

Ziarnick, 30, allegedly rained down on Hines with a series of blows while Anderson pinned him in his car seat. Ziarnick was charged with battery immediately following the incident and ultimately sentenced to 20 days in jail.

Anderson, however, was not charged until after Holt was shot to death outside Anderson’s home on Nov. 27. Holt, also 30, died of a .44-caliber gunshot wound to the head.

Anderson has insisted he meant to use the weapon to convince Holt to leave his home and it discharged accidentally. Holt’s supporters have maintained the shooting was premeditated, although a judge has ruled there is insufficient evidence to support a first-degree murder charge.

Although Anderson was considered a suspect in the battery on Hines, he wasn’t positively identified as an accomplice until after the Holt killing, police reports said.

Authorities believe Holt went to Anderson’s trailer to confront him about the attack on Hines, a close personal friend of Holt’s. Witnesses in the case have stated Hines used to date Ziarnick’s wife, who is Anderson’s sister in law.

City Prosecutor Lori Meulenberg advised Buchanan that the battery has had a lasting impact on Hines, who declined to attend Anderson’s sentencing hearing.

“It’s still affecting his life,” she said.

Hines’ father, John, told Buchanan that his son was not afraid of Ziarnick, but he did fear Anderson because he allegedly has a reputation possessing firearms and was not being prosecuted for his role in battery.

John Hines described Anderson’s role in the attack as “cowardly” and particularly distressing because it was not a face-to-face confrontation.

“Someone that sneaks up behind you and holds you down, in my opinion, is way more dangerous,” he said.

Deputy Public Defender Mary Shanahan emphasized during the hearing that Anderson is taking responsibility for his hand in the battery on Hines.

“He’s pled. He’s fessed up,” Shanahan said.

Buchanan asked Anderson if he had any remarks before the sentence was pronounced.

“No ma’am,” he answered.

Anderson will begin serving his sentence on the battery charge immediately. He remains held at the Bonner County jail on a second-degree murder charge with bail set at $200,000.

Anderson’s five-day jury trial is scheduled to start on July 13 in 1st District Court.