Grand Forks, ND (trfnews.i234.me)—A Grand Forks man accused of conspiracy to commit murder was granted a personal recognizance (PR) bond on Friday, Feb. 7, meaning he will be released without paying any upfront bail.
Nicholas Alexander Wride-Arnold, 35, had originally faced a Class AA felony charge, but during his bond review hearing, it was revealed that his charge could be reduced to a lesser felony.
Murder Case Background
According to court documents, Wride-Arnold and his co-defendant, Donald Joseph Bartlette, entered the apartment of 49-year-old Anthony “Tony” James Kiehl on the night of his murder.
- Kiehl was found severely injured and later pronounced dead at the hospital.
- An autopsy confirmed he died from blunt force trauma to the head.
- Surveillance footage allegedly showed Wride-Arnold vigorously cleaning Bartlette and himself in the hallway after the incident.
A witness reported an unsettling conversation with Wride-Arnold on the night of the murder.
- She tried to contact Kiehl but Wride-Arnold answered his phone.
- When she asked where Kiehl was, he allegedly said, “Tony’s right here; I had to permanently put him to sleep.”
- The witness pressed for clarification, to which Wride-Arnold reportedly replied that Kiehl had been disrespectful.
Bond Reduction and Court Decision
Originally, Judge Don Hager had set Wride-Arnold’s bond at $750,000 cash or surety. However, considering the potential reduction of charges, both the defense and prosecution agreed to a PR bond of $50,000.
Under the terms of his release:
- He will not have to pay unless he violates his conditions.
- He must wear a tracking device before being released from the Grand Forks County Correctional Center.
- He must participate in pre-trial services.
Additional Charges
Wride-Arnold also faces two misdemeanor charges:
- Class A misdemeanor: Physical obstruction of a government function
- Class B misdemeanor: Refusal to halt
As the case unfolds, authorities continue their investigation into the events leading up to Kiehl’s death.
For ongoing coverage of this case, stay with TRF News.
I’m Chris Harper, reporting for trfnews.i234.me