Chinnock pleads guilty to second-degree murder
courtesy photo
Dakota Chinnock
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AURORA, COLORADO — A young man from Polson has pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder and kidnapping of his girlfriend.
Dakota Chinnock, 21, was arrested Sept. 5, 2021, for allegedly beating his girlfriend Amanda Farley, 20, also of Polson, to death. According to court records, police in Aurora, Colorado, responded to the City Center Station apartments at 7:58 a.m. on Sept. 5 following the report of a woman injured and not breathing. The responding officers found Farley dead on arrival with significant swelling to her face.
Chinnock, who made the 911 call, had a fresh scratch on his forehead and right thigh according to officers, and his hands were sullied with dirt and blood. The victim’s boyfriend since their time at Polson High School, Chinnock was arrested after further questioning, interviews with witnesses, and the discovery of a green propane tank believed to be used as a weapon.
Originally charged with four separate felonies for first degree murder, deliberate homicide, rape, and sexual assault with a weapon, Chinnock pleaded guilty instead to several lesser charges. These charges include second-degree murder and kidnapping, and a crime of violence count, which is a sentence enhancer.
Chinnock’s sentencing is set for May 27. He continues to be held without bond in Colorado’s Araphoe County Detention Center.
