Dynamite Thief Pleads Guilty To Aiding Arson

A man charged with aiding and abetting aggravated arson in connection with a fatal dynamite blast has changed his plea to guilty.

Robert W. Matthews, 18, on Thursday told 2nd District Judge George Reinhardt that he and Gary L. Gordon stole dynamite from the gold mine near Lucile where they had been working because they had not been paid.

But Matthews said he never expected the tragedy which resulted from the theft.

“I didn’t want anything to happen with this, your honor,” Matthews said. “I didn’t want anybody to die over this.”

Stacey Calhoun, 28, of Grangeville, died Feb. 8 after dynamite exploded in the bed of his pickup truck. Gordon, 25, has been charged with first-degree murder.

Investigators say Calhoun was the unwitting victim of what was intended to be a threat to another Grangeville man.

Matthews said he and Gordon blew a hole in Idaho Highway 4 to test the explosive. But he added he refused to go with Gordon three nights later to test another stick by throwing it into the back of a truck.

Matthews pleaded guilty to arson in exchange for his testimony against Gordon, said his attorney, Gregory FitzMaurice.