Billings man denies deliberate homicide charge

BILLINGS (AP) – A Billings man has denied charges that he shot another man to death during an argument last month.

The Billings Gazette reports 32-year-old Joseph Richard Polak II pleaded not guilty Tuesday to deliberate homicide in the death of 29-year-old Scott Marshall Hofferber. Court records say Polak and Hofferber had planned to fight each other on April 28, but as Hofferber handed Polak a nail puller, Polak pulled out a gun and shot Hofferber in the chest.

Polak was arrested on April 30. He also is charged with tampering with evidence for getting rid of the gun.

On Monday, Musselshell County authorities filed a warrant accusing Polak of violating a deferred prosecution agreement from a 2014 aggravated assault conviction.

District Judge Gregory Todd continued Polak’s bail at $300,000. Polak remained jailed Tuesday.