2nd person charged, but is at large, in fatal punching of New Hope bar patron

A second person has been charged in the killing of a New Hope bar patron with single punches from two men during an altercation in June, but the additional suspect remains at large.

Daniele Wright Jr., 26, of Illinois, was charged Friday by warrant in Hennepin County District Court with aiding and abetting unintentional second-degree murder. Charged earlier and still jailed is the other alleged attacker, Christopher H. Gantt, 29, who is known to live in both Minneapolis and Iowa.

John T. Hillstrom, 36, of Crystal, died Nov. 30 in hospice care in Cokato. Hillstrom was with a small gathering on June 14 at Outtakes Bar and Grill on Winnetka Avenue N. for a friend's birthday when the assault by others in a different group left him with serious brain injuries.

Gantt was charged in with second-degree unintentional murder and jailed on June 26, then released on bail. After a nationwide warrant was been issued for his arrest, Gantt was located on Dec. 4 and put back in jail. Now it's Wright's turn to be the subject of a nationwide warrant for his capture.

"We're working on some leads as to his whereabouts," said New Hope Police Chief Tim Fournier.

Wright's identity had eluded authorities "for quite some time," read the criminal complaint filed against him.

As officers continued to investigate, the complaint continued, they were led to cellphone records pointing to Wright as their man. Then investigators showed Wright's Illinois driver's license photo to witnesses who were with Gantt at the bar, and they confirmed Wright was the second man who punched Hillstrom.

A bartender told police that Hillstrom and his friends had been arguing back and forth with two men. Shortly after 1 a.m., Gantt approached Hillstrom and said he wanted to fight. Gantt threw a punch, sending Hillstrom "to the ground in a daze," the complaints read.

When Hillstrom tried to stand, Gantt's accomplice — now identified as Wright — ran over and punched Hillstrom. The second blow "knocked [Hillstrom] to the ground, hard," the complaints continued.

Hillstrom hit his head on the concrete and was knocked unconscious. The two men ran from the bar.

A witness told police that Gantt was in the Twin Cities to celebrate a birthday and Father's Day, and was "heading back to Iowa, where he lives," according to the complaints.

During follow-up surgery on his skull in November, Hillstrom fell victim to complications, which a CaringBridge posting by his sister called "a mystery."