The second suspect charged in the death of a Helena man made his first official appearance in court Wednesday.
Dewayne Johnson appeared by video in Lewis and Clark County Justice Court. Both he and a co-defendant, Serena Kilseimer, have been accused of two alternative charges – either deliberate homicide or accountability for deliberate homicide – in the death of 56-year-old Shane White.< /p>
Court documents say Johnson admitted to detectives Monday that he had attacked and killed White with a knife, and that he said Kilseimer was also present.
Former Helena Municipal Court judge Bob Wood, filling in for Justice of the Peace Mike Swingley, set Johnson’s bond at $100,000 and ordered him to wear a GPS monitor if he is released. Johnson also has a $35,000 bond connected to a number of previous charges.
Kilseimer’s bond had been set at $75,000 on Monday.
The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office says authorities found White’s body Wednesday in the area of Cave Gulch Road, north of Canyon Ferry Lake. An autopsy showed he had blunt force and sharp force injuries.
Prosecutors say White’s family reported him missing Monday, Sept. 16. Family members told investigators they last saw White Sept. 8, with Johnson and Kilseimer.
According to court documents, a security camera on Canyon Ferry Road showed the three heading east in White’s truck on Sept. 8, and a GPS monitor that Johnson was wearing showed he then went to the Cave Gulch area.
A witness told deputies they saw Johnson return White’s truck that night, but they did not see White.
Court documents say White had previously testified for the state of Montana in a dependent neglect case against Kilseimer and Johnson.
