A grand jury indicted a Hibbing man Friday on two counts of first-degree murder.
Andrew William Prtine is accused of stabbing Brent Ward to death in Ward's Howard Street apartment in Hibbing. The victim's body was found Nov. 9 and it is believed was killed that day or the previous night.
The original complaint, charging Prtine with one count of second-degree murder, alleged that Prtine went to Ward's home for a drug transaction, returned later and got into an argument ensued, stabbing the victim multiple times. A St. Louis County medical examiner determined that Ward sustained more than 50 incisions and stab wounds.
At his initial appearance Nov. 21, Prtine's attorney said his client acted in self-defense.
Prtine told police that he purchased $25 worth of cocaine from Ward on Nov. 8. They later got into a fight.
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Prtine said Ward had punched him twice in the face, but officers couldn't find any signs of injury. The defendant had a stab wound on his left, inner forearm that he apparently tried to conceal by using a magic marker to make it look like part of a tattoo, the complaint alleges. He also used super glue and stitches to sew up the wound.
Prtine is being held in the St. Louis County Jail on $1 million bail.
