Four people charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of 35-year-old Wade Allen Rautio have pleaded not guilty.

One by one, Robert Matthew Wittal, 29, Melisa Ann Crone, 29, Christopher Michael Hansen, 28, and David Vincent Toman, 20, all of Kalispell, were led into the well-attended courtroom in Flathead District Court for arraignment Thursday.

Wittal is charged with felony deliberate homicide — accused of stabbing Rautio to death in May. Crone, Hansen and Toman have been charged with felony accountability to deliberate homicide.

Additionally, Crone pleaded not guilty to the felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs (methamphetamine).

District Court Judge Robert Allison set a pretrial conference at 9:30 Aug. 31.

All four suspects could face maximum sentences of life imprisonment or the death penalty if convicted.

The murder is believed to be drug-related, according to investigators. Crone allegedly accused Rautio of stealing drugs and money from her, then colluded with Wittal to hurt Rautio.

According to court documents, witnesses told Flathead County sheriff’s deputies on June 13 that they saw Wittal stab Rautio to death near Echo Lake sometime between May 15 and May 31. Rautio’s body with multiple stab wounds was found June 13 under a log in Brown Creek east of the Flathead Valley.

One witness reported watching Wittal burn his cellphone and the clothes he was wearing at the time of the crime in a wood stove at a home in Evergreen.

According to court documents, Hansen told investigators he went with Wittal, Toman and Rautio to an area off Foothill Road. Toman told deputies he drove Wittal, Hansen and Rautio to the Echo Lake area knowing Rautio would be assaulted.

Hansen allegedly admitted punching Rautio. Both Hansen and Toman prevented Rautio from leaving.

After Wittal allegedly lost his knife, Hansen gave Wittal a second knife, which Wittal then allegedly used to stab Rautio in the neck.

Wittal is being held on a $500,000 bail at Flathead County Detention Center. Crone, Hansen and Toman are being held on $100,000 bail.