Suspect charged with murder in death of CdA police officer

A Kootenai County judge agreed Wednesday to enter new charges, including first-degree murder, against the man accused of killing Coeur d’Alene police Sgt. Greg Moore last month.

First District Senior Magistrate Barry Watson agreed to new charges filed by county Prosecutor Barry McHugh. In addition to the murder charge, Jonathan Daniel Renfro faces seven gun-related felony charges.

Renfro, who was on felony parole, is accused of shooting Moore in the face as the officer questioned him early in the morning of May 5. Moore died later that day.

Renfro, 27, could receive the death penalty if convicted on the murder charge. He has not entered a plea to any of the charges, and his lawyer, county Public Defender John Adams, did not object to the revised charges.

The gun charges are robbery, for allegedly taking Moore’s Glock handgun with force, and grand theft for possessing the stolen gun; two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm – Moore’s gun and the Glock handgun he allegedly used to shoot Moore; unlawfully removing a firearm from a law enforcement officer; and two counts of concealing evidence – the two guns.

A preliminary hearing is set for July 22, although one of Renfro’s lawyers said she intends to seek a delay in that hearing because of a large amount of documents the defense team has been provided by the prosecutor’s office.

The prosecutor’s office also withdrew its motion to have Renfro held in jail without the ability to post bail. Renfro’s bail remains at $2 million.

Watson also imposed restrictions on lawyers and investigators discussing details of the case outside the courtroom. The “non-dissemination order” is consistent with the Idaho State Bar’s rules of professional conduct regarding trial publicity.

Deputy Public Defender Mayli Walsh argued for a more restrictive gag order. “The court has a constitutional duty to minimize the prejudicial pretrial publicity,” Walsh said.

Deputy Prosecuting Attorney David Robins countered that the public defender’s proposed restrictions were so broad, not even Moore’s funeral service would have been permitted.

Watson agreed that the additional language proposed by the public defender’s office might be overly broad, and he rejected it.