Lewiston teens charged with attempted murder

LEWISTON — Two Lewiston 14-year-olds made their initial court appearance Monday in Lewiston on charges of attempted first-degree murder stemming from a shooting Sunday evening.

Triston M. Arnzen is charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder while Chloe A. Marks faces one count of the same charge, according to court documents. They have been charged as adults and face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

Officers responding to a report of shots fired around 5:30 p.m. Sunday found two people with gunshot wounds outside apartments on the 600 block of Bryden Drive in the Lewiston Orchards. Those two were George E. Hamblin Jr., who is Arnzen’s stepfather, and 11-year-old Macayla Hamblin, who is Arnzen’s stepsister, according to court records. Marks’ relationship to the family or to Arnzen were not specified in court records.

Arnzen and Marks were located and detained by officers a few blocks from the apartments, according to court records. After being informed of their rights to the contrary, Marks and Arznen, both students at Sacajawea Middle School, each agreed to be interviewed by detectives without an attorney or parent present.

Arnzen, who has long, reddish bangs shielding his eyes, allegedly told a detective that he and Marks had planned the shooting about two hours earlier after George Hamblin didn’t allow them to go to the park.

Arnzen allegedly grabbed his mother’s pistol from the top of a refrigerator while she and George Hamblin were outside, and while Marks distracted Macayla Hamblin, according to court records.

Marks, who turned 14 less than two weeks ago and has a bleached wave of blond in her otherwise reddish hair, then allegedly used the pistol to shoot George Hamblin while he sat on a bed. Marks then gave the pistol back to Arnzen, who allegedly shot his stepfather “two or three more times,” according to court records.

Arnzen then allegedly fired at Macayla Hamblin, who ran out of the apartment. Arnzen followed her and allegedly shot at her twice more, and she fell down, according to court records. He told a detective he stopped shooting at her only because he believed the gun was out of ammunition.

Arnzen allegedly told a detective that he and Marks were going to kill George Hamblin because he was verbally abusive, and were going to kill Macayla Hamblin because she “was always getting him in trouble and blaming him for stealing things that she had stole and placed in his room,” according to court records. He also told police his stepsister stresses his mother out and his stepfather makes his mother cry, “which he does not like.”

The police report said George Hamblin was shot in the neck, jaw and torso, and Macayla Hamblin had two bullet wounds in her legs. The police report said both were being treated at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center. A nursing supervisor at the Lewiston hospital wasn’t able to provide an update.

A pink and black 9mm Ruger LC9 was found by officers at the scene. Arnzen allegedly said he threw the pistol at Macayla Hamblin after shooting her because he was still angry, according to court records.

According to court records, Arnzen told a detective that Marks allegedly commented, as they fled, that the iron sights on the pistol must be off because she aimed for George Hamblin’s head.

Arnzen expressed regret that he shot at his stepfather because he believed the shot fired by Marks was likely fatal and if he would have spent more time aiming at his stepsister, “they could have both got ‘confirmed kills.’ ”

When asked by a detective, Arnzen said he didn’t regret shooting his stepsister but regretted not killing her. Marks told a detective they planned the shooting because George Hamblin “is kind of a D.”

Both were somber but unemotional during their separate hearings Monday afternoon. A few sobs could be heard from family members who attended the proceedings at the Nez Perce County Courthouse.

Citing the planning involved, the seriousness of the charges and the lack of expressed regret, Judge Karin Seubert set bond at $500,000 for each of the children and appointed Lewiston attorney Rick Cuddihy to represent Marks and Magyar, Rauch & Associates of Lewiston to represent Arnzen.

Even though Arnzen and Marks were charged as adults, Seubert granted the state’s request to have them housed at the Lewiston Juvenile Correction Center because they would have to be placed in solitary confinement if housed at the Nez Perce County Jail and would not have access to schooling or be able to interact with peers. A preliminary hearing for each of them is scheduled for March 9.

Barker may be contacted at ebarker@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2273. Follow him on Twitter @ezebarker. Baney may be contacted at mbaney@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2262. Follow him on Twitter @MattBaney_Trib.