Murder defendant’s arraignment postponed

Arraignment for Mathew E. Starr, who is suspected in the shooting death of 25-year-old Joshua R. Schenk, was rescheduled for later in the month.

Starr appeared in court Friday with defense attorney Gerry Wear and waived his right to a speedy arraignment. Superior Court Judge John Wulle rescheduled arraignment for March 27.

Starr was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in the death of Schenk, his roommate. He is in Clark County Jail on $1 million bail.

Schenk’s body was discovered by a passer-by on March 2 by at the end of Erwin O. Rieger Memorial Highway, near Vancouver Lake.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Detective Wally Stefan of the Vancouver Police Department, Starr allegedly said he went target shooting with Shenk and two others on Feb. 29 near Vancouver Lake. Starr told police he stumbled and accidentally discharged his rifle because his finger was on the trigger. The bullet struck Schenk in the back of the head, he said, and Schenk dropped to the ground.

Starr then told police he thought that Schenk may be suffering so he shot Schenk again in the top of the head because emergency help was more than five minutes away, Stefan wrote.