McDermott pleads not guilty

SANDPOINT — A Sagle man accused of shooting Robert Cameroen Hegseth Wohali to death earlier this year is pleading not guilty.

Michael Ryan McDermott’s plea sets the stage for a four-day jury trial in 1st District Court in September. He remains held at the Bonner County Jail with his bond set at $500,000.

McDermott, 47, is charged with second-degree murder and failing to report a death to authorities. He is accused of shooting Hegseth Wohali on March 14 or 15 at Evergreen Towing on the city’s north side.

The body of Hegseth Wohali, 26, was found in a makeshift grave at an undisclosed location south of town on March 19, according to Sandpoint Police. A Bonner County grand jury indicted McDermott on the felony charges last moth.

A criminal complaint alleges McDermott killed Hegseth Wohali deliberately but without premeditation.

Hegseth Wohali, according to posts to social media, may have been attempting to recover a Chevrolet Camaro from a former girlfriend around the time of his death.

If convicted of second-degree murder, McDermott faces 10 years to life in prison. The failure to notify of a death is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, according to Idaho Code.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.