Possible Murder Witness Sought Arrest Ordered For Post Falls Man Who Skipped Unrelated Sentencing
A judge ordered the arrest of a Post Falls man sought in a Spokane Valley murder when the professed gang member failed to appear for sentencing in another case.
Defense attorney Jonathan Hull told the judge that Christopher C. Gober, 19, was unable get to court Tuesday.
He told his lawyer he was several hours away and did not have a car. Gober was scheduled to be sentenced on an aggravated assault charge for his part in a Coeur d’Alene drive-by shooting last spring.
“I told him under all of the circumstances he should get here as soon as possible,” Hull said.
First District Judge James Judd issued a $500,000 warrant for Gober’s arrest when the man failed to show for the hearing. Judd also ordered Gober’s bail - his aunt’s house - be forfeited.
Hull had asked Judd to continue the sentencing until today. Concern that his aunt will lose her house if he does not appear would prompt Gober to appear if given another day, Hull argued.
Gober’s aunt used her home as collateral to secure bail from a bondsman last month. Gober posted $138,950 on Nov. 11 and was released from the Kootenai County Jail where he was being held on several charges.
The house will not have to be forfeited immediately, unless Gober fails to turn himself in.
Hull said he did not know what Gober has been doing, but that “he seems scared about a situation in Washington.”
“I know what he’s been doing,” said Rick Baughman, deputy prosecuting attorney. “While he’s awaiting sentencing on this he’s been running around with some guns, some of which are stolen. And, he’s gotten himself into some potential trouble in Washington.”
Spokane County sheriff’s detectives want to question Gober about the shotgun murder of a 20-year-old man in a Spokane Valley apartment earlier this month. Jeremy F. Moore died Dec. 23 after being shot in the head at close range.
Detectives believe Gober knew the victim and was one of three men who went to the apartment door before the shooting. They do not believe he was the gunman.
Judd said Gober did not have a good excuse for not appearing and issued the arrest warrant.
“If he’s concerned about the bond he would have been here,” Judd said.
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