MOORHEAD, Minn. (trfnews.i234.me) – A court has imposed communication restrictions on 18-year-old murder suspect Isaac Arndt in Clay County. Arndt is accused of the August killing of 14-year-old Jaelyn Walker in Moorhead. During a recent motion hearing, investigators reported monitoring Arndt’s jail communications and raised concerns about his attempts to contact a juvenile witness through her brother via texts and phone calls. In a text dated December 25, Arndt allegedly blamed an individual for the escalation of his charges from second-degree to first-degree murder and mentioned having “bounties on people’s heads,” specifically referencing a juvenile witness.
Prosecutors argued that Arndt’s actions aimed to influence or intimidate witnesses, potentially leading to witness tampering charges. They requested that Arndt’s phone privileges be limited to communication with his attorney and that a no-contact order be issued concerning state witnesses, while permitting contact with his parents. The defense contended that Arndt was communicating solely with friends, not state witnesses, and that he was unaware of witness identities, as only initials were provided due to their juvenile status. They described the state’s request as overly broad and unfounded, emphasizing the importance of Arndt maintaining contact with friends given his mental health challenges while in custody.
Judge Tammy Merkins expressed concern over Arndt’s communications, noting statements about placing “bounties” on individuals who had spoken to law enforcement and suggesting they “should be beaten,” particularly as these individuals are juveniles. The court granted the motion to restrict Arndt’s phone and texting privileges to his attorney and parents and issued a no-contact order with the state’s lay witnesses. Arndt is permitted to send letters to individuals not listed as witnesses.
I’m Chris Harper, reporting for trfnews.i234.me