Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

New charges filed against Mercer murder defendant

By RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

Hurley — Additional charges have been filed against one of the men accused of participating in the murder a Lac du Flambeau man in Mercer on Dec. 22.

Assistant Attorney General Richard Dufour, lead special prosecutor, filed an additional 14 counts against Evan T. Oungst, 28, in Iron County Circuit Court Friday.

Oungst is already charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree intentional homicide and hiding a corpse in connection to the shooting death of Wayne M. Valliere Jr.

On Friday, Oungst was also charged with nine counts of being a party to a crime by harboring or aiding a felon and five counts of manufacturing or delivering prescription drugs.

Each of the harboring and aiding a felon charges carries a potential maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine. Each of the drug charges carries a potential maximum sentence of up to six years in prison and/or a $10,000 fine.

Valliere’s mother reported him missing Dec. 25, telling the police she hadn’t seen him since the early morning hours of Dec. 22, but it was unusual for him to miss Christmas. His body was found in a remote area off a tote road of the town of Mercer on Jan. 1.

Oungst is one of five co-defendants charged with having a role in Valliere’s death. Richard F.A. Allen, 28, of Lac du Flambeau; Curtis A. Wolfe, 27, of Lac du Flambeau; James B. Lussier, 20, of Arbor Vitae, and Joseph D. Lussier, 27, of Lac du Flambeau were also charged.

The five suspects were riding in a van and planned to beat up the victim, according to the original criminal complaint filed in February. Allen had a gun and shot Valliere, the complaint says, and Joseph Lussier then emptied the gun’s clip into Valliere’s body. Valliere was shot eight times.

The others are charged with being a party to murder and hiding the remains.

Oungst is accused of giving directions during the drive to where Valliere was killed, according to Friday’s criminal complaint. He led the Lac du Flambeau tribal police to the site of Valliere’s body near Swamp Creek Road on Jan. 1.

Oungst took clothing and shoes Allen and Joseph Lussier allegedly wore the night of the murder, according to the complaint, and hid them in his truck. The complaint also alleges he drove Allen to Crandon after his first contact with law enforcement officers.

Oungst is also accused of providing Valliere, Wolfe, James Lussier and Allen the prescription drug Gabapentin. The prescription drug, also known as Neuronin, is used to treat “neuropathic pain and epileptic disorders,” according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Allen and Joseph Lussier were convicted in August of first-degree murder and hiding a corpse after a week-long trial and were sentenced to life in prison.

James Lussier pleaded guilty in August to being a party to the crime of felony murder and two counts of aiding a felon. He is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 5.

Wolfe’s case is continuing to work through the court system.