Malachi Maxon refuses to attend arraignment, hearing moved to Thursday afternoon

WASILLA — Quadruple homicide suspect, Malachi Maxon refused to attend his arraignment hearing at the Palmer Courthouse Wednesday, Dec. 2.

Maxon, 18, is accused of shooting and killing four family members the morning of Nov. 30.

Magistrate Judge Anna Cometa presided over the Wednesday hearing. Cometa moved Maxon’s arraignment hearing to Thursday, Dec. 3 at 1 p.m.

Maxon will continue to be held without bail.

Assistant District Attorney Melissa Wininger-Howard pointed out that Maxon already had a public defender in three pending cases and asked Cometa to have one assigned to this case.

“Given that he has in fact, refused to be arraigned, the court can’t make that inquiry at this point,” Melissa Wininger-Howard said.

Cometa agreed and moved to have a public defender assigned to the case.

“If he doesn’t want council, we can address it… Whenever he appears, we can deal with it then,” Cometa said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com