Missoula Murder Suspects Plead Not Guilty
26-year-old Augustus Standingrock and 23-year-old Tiffanie Pierce, the suspects accused of killing two people on Strand Avenue in Missoula, have both pleaded not guilty in Missoula County District Court before Judge James Wheelis on Wednesday. KTVQ.com reports that prosecutors said Standingrock has been “violent” while in custody. The bodies of Missoula residents Marilyn Pickett, age 15, and 24-year-old Jackson Wiles were found on Aug. 17th in plastic tubs filled with chemicals.
A search warrant was executed at the home in connection with a home invasion report. The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office reported at the time that the initial investigation indicated that Pickett and Wiles died from stab wounds. Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst says prosecutors do not plan to seek the death penalty for either defendant, based on a U.S. Supreme Court decision that has deemed Montana’s death penalty unconstitutional.