A man who admits he planned and carried out the murder of his former boss at a Bisbee construction site in September is asking to be allowed to live with family in Idaho to await trial, assuming he can first post $100,000 cash bail.
Matthew C. Gistinger is charged with seven felonies, including premeditated first degree murder, weapons misconduct by a prohibited possessor, and attempted escape from custody. He has remained in the Cochise County jail in lieu of the bail set by a judge soon after Gistinger admitted opening fire on Sept. 22, killing site supervisor Roosevelt Brent Hester.
The shooting occurred at the old Bisbee High School which is being converted into apartments. Gistinger, 26, was fired the day before, according to court records.
But even if Gistinger posts the $100,000, he is currently prohibited from leaving Arizona. Which is why his court appointed attorney filed a motion last week asking to modify the conditions of Gistinger’s release to allow him to reside in Idaho if bail is posted.
Judge Jason Lindstrom has set a Nov. 18 hearing to rule on the request. It is unknown as of press time whether the Cochise County Attorney’s Office will oppose an out of state move, in part due to the nature of the Gistinger’s admitted actions leading up to the killing of Hester.
After his arrest, Gistinger provided a detailed and matter-of-fact accounting of the shooting, which occurred the day after he was fired from a construction job. Court documents show much of what Gistinger described happening at the construction site has been affirmed by surveillance cameras.
According to Gistinger, he walked into the construction site and shot Hester “multiple times” with a rifle. An autopsy confirmed Hester had four gunshot wounds.
Gistinger, who lived in Sierra Vista, also pointed the rifle, but did not fire, at two other employees. His indictment includes two counts each of aggravated assault and endangerment in connection with those employees.
Gistinger then made a call to 911 and remained on scene. Hester was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.
One of the most chilling aspects of Gistinger’s description of the incident involves the planning he undertook just hours of being fired on Sept. 21. He told detectives about leaving Bisbee and returning to Sierra Vista where he bought a rifle and ammunition, along with clothing which would give the appearance of a United Parcel Service (UPS) driver.
Gistinger was wearing those clothes when he was arrested at the murder scene.