Man already facing arson case charged with stalking in Pocatello

POCATELLO — A man who was arrested in December after allegedly starting a fire inside a home is facing new charges.

Heath Elliott Walton, 46, has been charged with a felony for first-degree stalking and misdemeanors for resisting arrest and two counts of violating a no-contact order, court records. He is already awaiting a June trial for an arson charge.

Additionally, court documents show that, upon completion of court proceedings in Idaho, Walton will be extradited to Orange County, California, where he is wanted for a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Walton was released on his own recognizance with a no-contact order, following his Dec. 19 arrest, on Dec. 22.

Pocatello police officers responded to reports of a no-contact order violation on Feb. 23, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Upon arrival, officers spoke with a woman who told them Walton had been at her home, in violation of a no-contact order, and refused to leave.

Police reports show the victim in this case is the same as the victim in the arson case.

The victim told officers that she found a rope tied in what the affidavit describes as a noose, hanging from the roof of her front porch. She said that she also found a phone she believed to belong to Walton on her porch.

Officers included in reports that, upon arrival at the home, they did see a rope with a slip knot hung form the roof.

The woman showed officers a message she received form Walton.

That message, which is largely incoherent, includes the phrases, “I’m ready to die” and “if this is what god wants, I will be more than willing to give it to them.”

Another message read: “Glad you left the light on, I wouldn’t want anyone to miss my last surprise.”

After speaking with the victim, officers went to the most recent address they had for Walton. They did not find him there, but as they were leaving another call in reporting that Walton was back at the victim’s home, trying to break in.

Officers returned to the woman’s home.

She told officers Walton had already left. She said he pulled a window air conditioning unit from a window in the home and was yelling at her through the window — demanding his phone back.

When she gave Walton the phone, the victim said, he left the area heading west down an ally.

Officers described the victim as crying and “very shaken up by the incident.” She said that when she realized Walton had returned, she retreated back to the center of the home.

After officers left, she said, she went around to all the doors and window to confirm they were properly locked, for fear Walton would return and attempt to break in.

While canvassing the area, an officer saw Walton walking near the intersection of North 8th Avenue and East Wyeth Street.

The officer approached Walton on foot and told him to stop to be detained.

Walton told the officer, “No,” the affidavit says, and continued walking. As the officer got closed, Walton allegedly told the officer not to touch him because that would “be a mistake.”

The officer grabbed the hood of Walton’s sweatshirt and Walton quickly pulled from the sweatshirt, turned to face the officers and “squared off” with balled fists.

Because he was “actively resisting,” the officer tased Walton.

When Walton fell to the ground, after being tased, the officer saw an axe tucked into the waistband of Walton’s pants.

Walton got up and pulled the Taser probes from his back, the affidavit says, so the officer drew their gun and commanded Walton to stay on the ground. Instead, Walton ran inside a nearby building.

Following the arrival of additional officers, Walton was taken into custody without further incident. He was taken to Portneuf Medical Center for treatment.

When he was cleared, he was taken to Bannock County Jail and booked. He is being held there on bonds of $50,000 and $300,000 — for the stalking charge and out-of-state warrant, respectively.

Walton’s trial for the arson charge is set for June 4. He is scheduled to appear in court before District Judge Rick Carnaroli for arraignment on the stalking charge on April 8.

Though Walton has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

If he is found guilty on all charges, Walton would face more than 30 years in prison.