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Prosecutor: Nampa man who said he watched his roommate commit suicide will be charged in homicide

Officials said they do not believe 19-year-old Dakota Honeycutt told police the truth about the shooting.

STAR, Idaho — New charges are pending against a 19-year-old man who told police he watched his roommate take his own life in a Star public park. 

Prosecutors said in a Tuesday arraignment that Dakota Honeycutt will be charged with homicide in the death of 48-year-old Kevin Hunt, who was found shot to death on a sidewalk in Hunter’s Creek Park Sunday morning. 

The prosecution did not specify whether they are planning to file manslaughter or murder charges, and did not provide a motive in the shooting. A spokeswoman for the Ada County Prosecutor's office did not respond to a request for comment.

Honeycutt, who is originally from Tennesee but had been staying at Hunt's apartment, was interviewed by law enforcement after detectives learned he had been driving the dead man's car. According to the sheriff's office, Honeycutt said he had driven Hunt to the park, watched him commit suicide, then took the gun and drove away in Hunt's car, leaving the body behind.

Prosecutor Heather Reilly said Tuesday that investigators have learned Honeycutt was not telling them the truth about what happened. 

He was arrested Sunday on felony charges of assisting a suicide and destruction of evidence; the new charge will be upgraded via an amending indictment, according to Reilly. She asked the judge to raise the bond in the case from $25,000 to $500,000.

Judge Michael Lojek noted that Honeycutt, who appeared in court via a videostream, was wearing the purple jail uniform that indicated he was housed in a medical unit, and asked if he wanted to tell the judge anything about his mental or emotional state. 

"My emotional condition is really, really scared," Honeycutt answered. 

Lojek ultimately set bond at $50,000, telling prosecutors it could be taken back up at a later date after the new charge is filed. 

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for Jan. 10. 

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