×

Minot woman pleads not guilty to murder

A 38-year-old Minot woman has entered a not guilty plea to murdering a man in November.

Kommika Katrice Gregory has been held on $1 million bond at the Ward County Jail since she allegedly shot 58-year-old Ronald Stanley Thompson to death on Nov. 16, 2017, at a south Minot residence. Gregory waived her right to a scheduled preliminary hearing in the case Friday and entered her not guilty plea to Class AA felony murder in absentia.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed in the case, Gregory shot Thompson multiple times at a south Minot residence. A witness called police at 7:54 a.m. Nov. 16. to report the shooting. Thompson was found lying on the living room floor of the residence, dead of three gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen. Police found three 9 millimeter casings at the scene.

The witness told police that Thompson had been a guest at his residence. He had been sleeping when he heard someone knock on his door. Gregory, the ex-girlfriend of the witness, then came into his bedroom, threatened to harm him and demanded that he leave with her. Thompson came into the room and told Gregory she needed to leave. The group of three eventually went into the living room. Thompson kept telling Gregory she needed to leave. Then the witness, Gregory’s ex-boyfriend, heard gunshots and saw that Thompson had been shot. Gregory then took the gun and left the residence.

Police then went to Gregory’s residence, where her preteen son had been left home alone overnight. The boy told Detective Cassidy Halseth that he had called his mother that morning. The cell phone showed a call made shortly after 8 a.m. Halseth called the number and spoke with Gregory, who told him she hadn’t wanted “it to go down that way” and she took responsibility for her actions. She said she would turn herself in, but did not. Gregory was apprehended by law enforcement near New Town around 4 p.m. that afternoon.

A pretrial conference in the case is scheduled for May 9 before Judge Gary Lee. Gregory is represented by public defender Steven Mottinger of Fargo.

– Andrea Johnson

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today