Man pleads not guilty a second time to killing his friend
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IDAHO FALLS — For the second time, a man has pleaded not guilty to killing his friend in 2019.
Marshall D. Hendricks appeared over video from the Bonneville County Jail Tuesday for his arraignment on a first-degree murder charge connected to the Sept. 2, 2019, killing of Rory Neddo. Hendricks pleaded not guilty to the murder charge as well as charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and a use of a deadly weapon sentencing enhancement.
A trial for Hendricks is now scheduled for June 6 with a pretrial conference on May 9. Prosecutors expect the trial to last approximately a week.
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Hendricks had initially pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for killing his friend as part of a plea agreement. But after withdrawing his guilty plea in June, prosecutors opted to charge Hendricks with first-degree murder.
Neddo reportedly became upset at Hendricks over a sexual relationship Hendricks had with Neddo’s ex-girlfriend. While at a friend’s house, Hendricks claimed Neddo came over making threats and acting aggressively. At one point, Neddo is said to have threatened that Hendricks would never speak again.
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Hendricks maintains the shooting was self-defense, however, prosecutors disagree. They say Hendricks invited Neddo to the Bonneville County home for a fight. At the change of plea hearing, Bonneville County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Russell Spencer called the case as much a first-degree murder case as it is manslaughter because Hendricks brought a gun to what could have been a fistfight.
Felony first-degree murder is punishable by death, however, prosecutors have not indicated if they intend to or not seek capital punishment. If prosecutors do not pursue the death penalty, Hendricks faces up to life in prison.