Murder Suspect Appears in Court, Another New Twist in Case
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Updated: 8:09 PM Nov 4, 2005
Murder Suspect Appears in Court, Another New Twist in Case
He's suspected of murdering a Stevens Point man in broad daylight at close range. Friday, 28-year-old Aaron Harvath of Wisconsin Rapids made his first appearance before a Portage County judge, and there's another new twist in the case.
Posted: 6:39 PM Nov 4, 2005
Reporter: Amanda Lutz/Alison Struve
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The Portage County district attorney says they have enough evidence to believe Aaron Harvath is the man who killed 23-year-old Dirk Wolf earlier this week.

Friday, prosecutors made their case in court.

An autopsy revealed Wolf died from a single gunshot to the back of the head from close range.

It happened outside Skipp's Bowling Center Wednesday afternoon. Witnesses say they saw Harvath flee from the scene and he was stopped by employees of a nearby auto body shop.

Soon after, police recovered the gun, a .357 caliber revolver, in a nearby yard. They took out a search warrant on Harvath's residence and found a receipt for the same model gun with a matching serial number. They also found the gun's firing pin resting on a spent shell, meaning it may have just been fired.

Prosecutors argued for, and got $100,000 bail set for Harvath because they consider him a flight risk.

"I think anytime someone's facing life in prison, there's a great incentive not to come back and face the court," says Portage County District Attorney, Tom Eagon.

In addition to the $100,000 cash bond, Harvath is to have no contact with Wolf's family as well as several witnesses who tracked him down, and is not to possess any firearms, drugs, or alcohol.

In addition, prosecutors are looking into charging 40-year-old Dean Choate of Stevens Point with obstructing officers in this investigation.

They believe Choate is a business partner of both Harvath and Wolf, that Choate drove Harvath to the scene before the shooting, then lied about not knowing Harvath had a gun.

Both Harvath and Choate are due back in court Tuesday (11/8/05). The D.A. says they should have a criminal complaint ready by that time, and plan on charging Harvath with first-degree murder.

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