Suspect in murder case released on reduced bail

SANDPOINT — A Bonner County man implicated in the killing of Brandon Vern Hurst has been released on a reduced bond, court records show.

Scott Thomas Kachel was originally being held at the Bonner County Jail in lieu of $250,000, but the sum was reduced to $50,000. The state and the defense filed a joint motion which argued Kachel is a longtime resident with significant ties to the community.

Bonner County Magistrate Court Judge Justin Julian granted the reduction last month and Kachel posted a property bond to secure his release, court documents indicate.

Neal Aaron Mouser is accused of laying in wait at a remote location in the Upper Pack River Valley and shooting Hurst on Nov. 21, 2020. Cantrip Velite Gatens is accused of luring Hurst to the location by claiming she needed help with her vehicle.

Kachel, 62, is accused of removing the body from the crime scene and dumping it down a steep embankment on Caribou Creek Road. The body of Hurst, 38, was discovered by passersby on Dec. 10, 2020, according to court documents.

Mouser, a 59-year-old from Spokane, is charged with first-degree murder, while Gatens, 28, is charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Kachel is charged accessory to murder.

Mouser is being held at the Bonner County Jail in lieu of $1 million. Gatens is also jailed with bail set at $750,000.

Preliminary hearings in the cases against Kachel and Gatens are set for March 3. A preliminary hearing in Mouser's case is scheduled for Feb. 10.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and followed on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.