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Three people charged with murder after a man died while locked in the basement of a Price home that caught fire were ordered to stand trial Friday.
James William Pendleton, 39, Michael John Dees, 38, and Ashley Ann Platt, 21, are charged in 7th District Court with one count each of first-degree felony murder, first-degree felony aggravated kidnapping and second-degree felony criminal conspiracy.
After hearing arguments from attorneys on Friday, a judge ruled there was probable cause for the trio to stand trial, according to Carbon County Attorney Gene Strate.
Strate said the judge bound over the defendants on all charges, but amended the aggravated kidnapping charge to a lesser count of second-degree felony kidnapping.
Friday's hearing was a continuation of a preliminary hearing held in October, when several witnesses testified about the July 29, 2014, fire at Pendleton's home.
The defendants' next court date is Feb. 4, when attorneys will argue a motion to sever the cases prior to trial.
Pendleton is accused of beating 32-year-old Brian William Swink, after which Dees and Platt locked him in the basement of the home, at 423 S. 200 West.
Officials believe Swink, himself, likely started the fire that killed him — a lighter was found in his pocket and the fire's origin was traced to cardboard and Christmas decorations that had been ignited on a basement shelf.
But prosecutors argued during the October preliminary hearing that if the three defendants had not locked Swink in that basement, he would not have died.
Several witnesses testified that Pendleton had been upset with Swink for taking his truck without permission. This sparked a fistfight between the two on the evening before the fire, during which Pendleton allegedly hit Swink with a bat several times. Pendleton is facing an additional third-degree felony aggravated assault charge in connection with the beating.
Platt later told police that she had Dees and another man put Swink in the basement.
Platt told an officer she did it so Pendleton wouldn't know that Swink was still in the house and because she was scared of Swink.
When firefighters arrived at the house, Pendleton told them Swink was locked inside and was armed with a handgun.
Because of that information, crews delayed approaching the house, but Pendleton finally broke through a locked door to the basement. Fire and smoke, however, prevented rescue efforts, police have said.
Swink died of smoke inhalation, according to authorities.
A fourth person, 23-year-old Amee Averett, was charged with writing a false statement in the case. That charge has since been dismissed, according to court records.
Police have said the group likely was using drugs in the house.
Twitter: @jm_miller