PORT ANGELES — Gary Carl Borneman’s scheduled status conference for a pending murder case was moved Friday to Jan. 23.
The 40-year-old Port Angeles man was charged with first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping and five other charges after the Oct. 7 shooting death of Gerald “Jerry” Howell and kidnapping of Howell’s girlfriend, Rebecca Messinger.
Howell was shot to death at his home.
Borneman is being held in the Clallam County jail on $2 million bond. He remained in jail Saturday.
Forensic tests
Borneman’s trial was originally scheduled for Dec. 15 but was moved to March 2 because of delays with forensic tests on evidence.
Defense attorney John Hayden told county Superior Court Judge Christopher Melly on Friday that progress on the tests is being made.
County Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney John Troberg did not object to the continuance.
Port Angeles police alleged that Borneman kidnapped Messinger at gunpoint, forced her to drive to her 11th Street home and shot Howell with a .22-caliber pistol.
Howell, a 40-year-old welder who worked on oil tankers, had recently moved into the house with Messinger, court papers said.
In addition to murder and kidnapping, Borneman also is charged with single counts of first-degree burglary, second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful imprisonment, violation of a domestic violence protection order and second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Borneman is already serving a 439-day sentence for a 2013 case.
He pleaded guilty Nov. 6 to one count of bail jumping and two counts of violation of a no contact, protection or restraining order-third or subsequent violation of any similar order.
