CDA man charged with shooting 41-year-old to death in midtown

Daniel Stinson was charged with murder Thursday in the April shooting death of 41-year-old Noah Y. Peterson in midtown.

The latest charges come after a Coeur d’Alene magistrate denied a request by public defenders to separately file the charges, which would have prolonged proceedings and required additional hearings.

Public defenders said the murder charges against Stinson are part of a separate case, but Magistrate Robert Burton, who filled in for Judge Mayli Walsh in Coeur d’Alene’s First District Court, allowed them to be added.

Stinson is accused of killing Peterson April 16 in midtown, after he allegedly used a gun to hijack a Ford Explorer east of the Kroc Center. He led police on a high-speed chase the same evening, crashing the Explorer on Highway 97 near Gozzer Road.

Burton said although he had not seen evidence in the case, the charges seem to be part of a series of crimes.

“I don’t know the facts at this point, but it appears there could be a connection,” Burton said.

Burton added the homicide to the charges Stinson already faced including robbery, burglary, battery and eluding.

Stinson now faces 10 felonies including three counts of destroying evidence, murder and attempted murder, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Police said Stinson allegedly used a gun to hijack the Ford Explorer in a Coeur d’Alene neighborhood. He discarded evidence including a cellphone and a trailer that was attached to the Explorer and drove to midtown around 7 p.m., where he allegedly shot and killed Peterson, and also shot Jeremy S. Pardue, 49. Pardue was treated and released from Kootenai Health.

Public defender Jay Logsdon also argued that the charges should not be added to the existing complaint because they lacked evidence.

“… Police arrive for the report of a shooting,” Logsdon wrote court records. “They find one man deceased and another man who had been shot. No one on scene could identify the shooter …”

Prosecutors said the new charges stem from a monthslong investigation by police.

“Since the initial charges were filed, a detailed police investigation has occurred,” Prosecutor Art Verharen said. “I think it explains adding the additional charges.”

A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled July 7 in First District Court.