Suspects in fatal ND shooting plead not guilty

STANTON, N.D. (AP) — The two suspects in a shooting in Beulah that left a man dead have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit murder.

Twenty-nine-year-old Richard Whitman of Hazen and 24-year-old Cody Borner of Stanton are accused in the Jan. 31 death of 22-year-old Mike Padilla in Padilla's apartment. The shooting also injured Padilla's 21-year-old brother, Timothy Padilla of Billings, Mont.

Mercer County Chief Deputy Terry Ternes (TUR’-nuhs) says a total of nine shots were fired from a semiautomatic pistol and an assault rifle. He says Mike Padilla was shot in the chest and head, and Timothy Padilla was shot in the lower back-upper thigh area. Timothy Padilla has recovered.

Whitman, Borner and the Padillas were allegedly involved in a conflict involving drugs, money and the brothers’ mother, whom Whitman had dated.

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