‘Rust’ Prosecutors Add Evidence Tampering Charge Against Film’s Armorer
deadline.comHannah Gutierrez-Reed, the Rust armorer who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the October 2021 death of Halyna Hutchins on the New Mexico set of the indie Western, now faces a second charge: tampering with evidence.
The special prosecutors in the case said Thursday in a court filing that the second count alleges “the above-named defendant did transfer narcotics to another person with the intent to prevent the apprehension, prosecution or conviction of herself.” No other details were provided.
Like the involuntary manslaughter charge, the new charge is a fourth-degree felony. Gutierrez-Reed’s defense team today filed a new motion (read it here) to dismiss the two charges, with attorney Jason Bowles citing a letter sent by the New Mexico District Attorney’s lead investigator in the case raising questions about “the conduct of the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office during and after their initial investigation.” The letter, sent by outgoing lead investigator Robert Schilling, comes as the defense continues to question the handling of the case by the Santa Fe D.A.
and the sheriff’s office. Those challenges resulted in the exits from the case from Santa Fe D.A. Mary Carmack Altweis and her subsequently appointed special prosecutor Andi Reeb.
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