Man Sentenced for Beating and Hogtying of Gay Man, Charged in Recent Stabbing
Last night, July 9, at around 7:00 p.m., Missoula police responded to a 911 call reporting a stabbing at a residence.
"Officers responded to a call in the 1800 block of Sherwood," said Missoula Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh. "The first officer on the scene reported finding a male inside the residence who was conscious and breathing and able to speak, but also suffering from what appeared to be multiple stab wounds. The officer rendered immediate first care and then identified other persons in the residence and determined that there was no other threat so medical personnel were able to come inside immediately."
Police spoke with the victim and a woman at the residence who identified two stabbing suspects.
"The two suspects were subsequently located in the 300 block of East Broadway near a motel, and they are identified as Christopher Newrider who is 31-years-of-age, and Valerie Thompson, who is 32-years-of-age," Welsh said. "It appears that the two couples knew each other and had started arguing about possession of property, which escalated quickly into violence."
Thompson is being held on two felony charges: assault with a weapon and deliberate homicide. Newrider is being held on the same charges as well as felony probation violations. Newrider was on probation for kidnapping and assault charges after a conviction back in 2008 for tying up a gay man by the hands and feet, and beating him so severely the victim suffered broken facial bones and a collapsed lung.
Welsh says the stabbing victim in this recent case, was taken to the hospital for treatment.