HELENA — The trial of Leon Ford continued Friday with Ford himself taking the stand in his defense.
Ford is charged with deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence in connection with the 2011 killing of John “Mike” Crites.
Ford’s attorney Palmer Hoovestal was direct with his first question.
“Did you kill Mike Crites?” asked Hoovestal.
“Absolutely not,” said Ford in response.
The defendant was initially asked about his military service. Ford told the jurors about his time in the Navy, such as the advanced training he'd received — including combat — medals awarded and injuries he had sustained.
Crites was last seen alive in June 2011. In October of that year, his dismembered remains were discovered in plastic bags on the east side of MacDonald Pass. His skull was found several miles west of the pass in September 2012.
Ford owned a property adjacent to Crites’ home on Turk Road, in a rural area outside Birdseye, northwest of Helena. Prosecutors said the two men had argued for years over land access, including confrontations in 2002 and 2007. Ford said some of his interactions were fine with Crites, but as the years went on there were more issues with him and road disputes.
During the 2007 interaction with Crites, Ford said he found a gate on the road to his property that Crites had constructed welded shut. He then alleged Crites confronted him with a gun in hand.
“When he stepped out it was a hunting rifle with a scope on it and as he started to walk toward me he… cradled it across his body into his right hand. He didn’t point it at me, but all he would have to do is lift it up,” said Ford. “As he got closer and still no talking, I just pulled [my] gun out and down the back of my leg. He didn’t see it… and the reason why I know he didn’t is because of the way he described it to the police.”
In 2011, Crites had put up a new gate blocking a road that Ford used to access his property. Ford sent him a letter, saying he planned to come from his home in Washington state to Helena in June to spray weeds on his property, and asking him to have the gate open.
Prosecutors say records from a contractor at the Naval Air Station on Whidbey Island, where Ford worked, showed Ford had taken some zip ties from a warehouse. The same type of ties were found with Crites’ remains.
Ford testified he did not have any reason to use zip ties as part of his job and does not recall ever requesting zip ties.
On June 26, 2011, a game camera captured Ford’s truck going up the road to his and Crites’ properties around the same time the last call was made from Crites phone.
Ford told the jury he had spoken with Crites the evening before that call and believed the two had come to an agreement about removing the barrier on the road. He further said he did not see Crites on the 26th.
The defense will continue to question Ford on Monday, after which the prosecution will have the chance to cross examine him.
