FARGO — The case of a 35-year-old man accused of murdering his father is headed for trial.
Christopher Blaine Riley is charged with a Class AA felony count of intentional murder, and at a Thursday, Jan. 31, hearing, the case was slated for a one-week trial in April.
Riley pleaded not guilty to the murder charge in November.
On Sept. 21, police responded to a possible suicide at an apartment in south Fargo and found the victim, 60-year-old Kevin Riley Sr., deceased and covered with a white sheet, according to Cass County District Court documents.
Officers found a pistol with blood on it, and the gun was 6 feet away from the body of Riley Sr., court documents said.
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Police also found signs that a fight occurred before the shooting, and a coroner’s report showed an abrasion under Riley Sr.’s chin and an injury to his right temple, court documents said.
The trajectory of the bullet, which entered Riley Sr.'s neck just below his right ear, suggested to the coroner that he likely didn’t kill himself, court documents stated.