courts Polson man charged with murder in girlfriend’s death By Summer Goddard / Valley Journal
AURORA, COLORADO — A 20-year-old man from Polson is being charged with first degree murder in the death of his girlfriend. Dakota Chinnock was arrested Sept. 5, for allegedly beating his girlfriend, Amanda Farley, 20, of Polson, to death between the evening of Sept.
4 and the morning of Sept. 5. He has been charged with four separate felonies for first degree murder, deliberate homicide, rape and sexual assault with a weapon. Dakota According to Chinnock charging docu-
ments, police responded to an apartment in Aurora, Colorado at 7:58 a.m. Sept. 5, following the report of a woman was who unconscious and not breathing. Responding officers found Farley dead upon arrival with significant swelling to her face. Chinnock, who made the 911 call, allegedly told officers that there might have been a home invasion. Officers noted a fresh
scratch on Chinnock’s forehead and right thigh and that his hands appeared to have dirt and blood on them. Chinnock and Farley are both Polson High School alums, having graduated in 2020 and 2019, respectively. Charging documents note that Chinnock said he and Farley had been dating since high school and had moved to Col-
orado to start their lives. Following further questioning, interviews with neighbors, witnesses, review of text messages and the seizure of a green propane tank believed to be used as a weapon, Chinnock was arrested at 12 p.m. on Sept. 5. He is currently being held without bond in the Arapahoe County Detention Center.
Stories below by Jeff Smith of Anderson Broadcasting for the Valley Journal
Ronan man pleads guilty to dealing heroin POLSON — A Ronan man has admitted to dealing heroin in Lake County. Jose Anders Gonzalez, 30, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on Sept. 9 to one felony count of criminal possession with intent to distribute. The guilty plea came as part of an agreement that will dismiss at sentencing one count of assault with a weapon. According to court records, on Feb. 18, Lake County Sheriff ’s deputies responded to a report of a female being assaulted by several people. At the scene, the deputies observed the victim with a split above her eye and a broken tooth. The victim told responding deputies that she had gone to a residence on Sundown Lane near St. Ignatius to confront someone about damages to a car. That’s when she says a male, later
identified as Gonzalez, pointed a loaded pistol at her, then hit her several times with it. She went on to state that another person held her down while Gonzalez went through her pockets. She says they also took from her a backpack containing a derringer before allowing her to leave. The victim was able to identify Gonzalez through social media postings. Law enforcement executed a search a warrant at the Sundown Lane residence. Inside, officers located five grams of heroin, a digital scale and the derringer. They also observed blood spatter consistent with the victims’ version of events. Judge John Larson of Missoula presided over the case via the zoom platform. He set a sentencing hearing for Oct. 28.
Polson man sentenced for series of thefts, burgarly POLSON — A Polson man was sentenced at District Court in Polson on Sept. 8 to a total of 10 years with the Montana Department of Corrections with 6 years suspended for a series of vehicle thefts and a burglary. Kyro Antonio Swimmer, 22, pled guilty Aug. 12 to one count of burglary for breaking into the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Forestry building in Ronan on Nov. 29, 2019 and aiding in the theft of two chainsaws. He also pled guilty to: stealing a red Chevy Cruz on Oct. 3, 2018, the theft of a Chevy truck on Jan. 3, 2020, criminal mischief for destroying private property Feb. 10, 2020, the theft of a one-ton Dodge pick-up with its gooseneck trailer on March 25, 2020, the thefts of a 2008 Pontiac Kyro G6 and a Subaru LegaSwimmer cy in May of 2020. A co-defendant in the burglary at the CSKT Forestry building, Trevor Gardipe, also of Polson, entered a plea of guilty at District Court in Polson on Sept. 8, to felony counts of burglary and theft. The plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement, meaning Gradipe could be sentenced to the maximum 20 years in the Montana State Prison for burglary and five years for theft. Judge James Manley set sentencing in Gardipe’s case for Oct. 27.
Valley Journal
Ronan man sentenced for strangulation, criminal endangerment POLSON — A Ronan man was committed to the Montana Department of Corrections for a total of 15 years with all but five years suspended during a sentencing hearing at District Court in Polson on Sept. 9. Bojai Dominick GrantSchmidt, 20, pled guilty at District Court in Polson on June 17, to strangulation of a partner or family member Bojai and criminal enGrant-Schmidt dangerment, both felonies. The pleas were entered as part of an agreement that dismisses one count of sexual intercourse without consent. The agreement also amended one count of strangulation of a partner or family member to criminal endangerment, both felonies. According to court records, on Feb. 23, the grandmother of the alleged victim reported the assault. At the scene, the victim told responding law enforcement officers
that Grant-Schmidt assaulted her “over the course of four days.” She said on or about Feb. 20, Grant-Schmidt began hitting her because he was drunk. She said he became angry with her because she didn’t want to have sex with him. She went on to state that Grant-Schmidt forced sex upon her despite her telling him no. She said on Feb. 21, Grant-Scmidt choked her with his hands around her neck and pillow over her head. Grant-Schmidt said he did use the pillow due to “rough sex.” Another person at the residence told law enforcement that they went into the room of the victim and witnessed her nude from the waist down and pulled Grant-Schmidt off of her. The witness later told a detective she heard the victim screaming for help and telling Grant-Schmidt to get off of her. She also said she saw Grant-Schmidt on top of the victim with “his forearm buried in her neck, choking her.” Judge John Larson of Missoula presided over the case via the zoom platform. September 15, 2021 - 7
