New bail OK'd on gas-dousing suspect

April 23. 2-006

By MARY AMES

Frontiersman

PALMER - One of two men accused of tossing gasoline on a Houston family in February and threatening to light them on fire if they didn't hand over their money had a second bail hearing Thursday in Palmer Superior Court.

Matthew T. Marr, 22, faces a 10-count indictment on charges of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree attempted arson, three counts of first-degree robbery, two counts of second-degree assault, first-degree burglary, second-degree theft and third-degree criminal mischief.

Marr's bail was set at $50,000 after a Palmer Grand Jury indicted him and Barret Ray, 26, for holding a hunting knife to Jeff Munholland's throat and pouring two gallons of gasoline on Munholland's wife and children on the morning of Feb. 23.

After Munholland fought them off and called the police, the men fled with some stolen cash, but put their Ford Explorer in a ditch, according to a police report. In spite of a rapid response from Houston police and Alaska State Troopers, Marr and Ray disappeared until almost a week after their March 2 indictment.

At his first bail hearing March 10, Diane Foster, Marr's public defender, requested a bail reduction to a $10,000 bond, and offered Marr's mother, Jolinda Marr, and his fiancee, Stephanie Martin, as third party custodians. Jolinda Marr said she worked at Pizza Hut and Martin lived with her in an Anchorage apartment, along with her sons and Martin's small child.

At that hearing, Roman Kalytiak, district attorney, said Martin may be facing an indictment in the case because she was at the scene immediately after the robbery. He suggested Martin might want to withdraw and maintain her right to remain silent, an offer Martin declined.

Under Kalytiak's questioning, Martin said Jolinda Marr bought airline tickets for her and Matthew Marr to fly to Alabama &#8220to start a fresh life” immediately after the home invasion.

Judge Beverly Cutler said at the time she needed more information on the defendant.

&#8220It seems to me it wouldn't be prudent to approve of any third party, especially if he is released to the same family,” Cutler said. &#8220Especially with a small child, it's an emotional firebox.”

At Thursday's bail hearing, Holly Handler, a public defender standing in for Foster, requested bail reduction to a $15,000 bond and offered Jolinda Marr and Timothy Marr, Matthew's father, as third-party custodians. If released on bail, Matthew Marr would have an active GPS ankle monitor, random urine tests and not be allowed to travel into the Valley except for evaluation and treatment at Mat-Su Recovery.

Also, Stephanie Martin and their child would move out of the Marrs' 1,500 square-foot home and live somewhere else, according to Jolinda Marr, who said she cut back her work hours to one day a week so she could supervise her son.

&#8220I think he's ready to start a new life,” she said.

When questioned by Richard Payne, an assistant district attorney standing in for Kalytiak, Timothy Marr said his son told him what charges he was facing.

&#8220He said robbery, theft and assault,” Timothy Marr said. &#8220He told me last night the attempted murder charge was dropped.”

Jolinda Marr affirmed to Payne that she knew about her son's and Martin's &#8220spur of the moment trip” to Alabama.

Calling their flight out of state a &#8220big red flag” and remarking about the extremely serious nature of the charges, Judge Cutler also said there had to be a presumption of innocence.

&#8220However, the biggest barrier is that we don't do trials promptly,” Cutler said, and she set a trial date of June 6. Cutler approved the Marrs as third party custodians, and left Marr's bail at $50,000 cash, but allowed his release with 10 percent of the amount posted.

&#8220I don't know if the parents want to be liable for $45,000,” Cutler said.

Cutler released Ray on 10 percent of $25,000 bail, with three third-party custodians on April 7.

Marr and Ray are scheduled for a pre-trail conference Monday afternoon.

Contact Mary Ames at 352-2284 or mary.ames@ frontiersman.com.