WALLA WALLA, Wash. — A Walla Walla, Washington, man accused of second-degree murder in the death of a man found at the mouth of the Walla Walla River in January pleaded guilty to a lesser charge on Monday, Nov. 30.

Quentin N. Hunter, 25, appeared in Walla Walla County Superior Court to plead guilty to first-degree rendering criminal assistance in connection with the death of 22-year-old Arcane “AJ” Wilkinson of College Place, Washington, according to court documents.

It was unclear in the documents whether the second-degree murder charge still stands or was dropped in exchange for his guilty plea in the rendering charge. Walla Walla County Prosecuting Attorney Jim Nagle was unavailable for comment on Dec. 1.

Also charged in the homicide case was Joey C. Barnes, 28. He pleaded guilty on Oct. 14 to first-degree rendering criminal assistance in an agreement with prosecutors that his second-degree murder charge be dropped.

Barnes was released from the Walla Walla County Jail and is on electronic home monitoring until his sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled.

Hunter also plead guilty to unrelated charges for possession of methamphetamines and fentanyl, intimidating a witness, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm in the second degree, according to court documents. He is to remain jailed pending his sentencing.

According to court records, Wilkinson was involved in a local gang and “gave up” information on the day of his death about a gang in front of one of its members.

Wilkinson was reported missing to the College Place Police Department on Dec. 28, 2019, and was identified on Jan. 29, 2020, as the man found dead in the Walla Walla River. The Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the case as a homicide.

An autopsy showed he died from multiple gunshot wounds to his torso, with drowning and acute meth intoxication as contributing factors.

Probable cause affidavits filed after Hunter and Barnes were arrested said Wilkinson went on a drive with Hunter, Barnes and several others.

Witnesses told detectives that once at the end of North Shore Road, the group told Wilkinson they were going to take back a gun from someone.

During an altercation after the drive, when the group was near Wallula, a gun was pulled and Wilkinson ran and jumped into the river about 5 miles upstream from where his body was found, records stated.

Shots were fired, and the rest of the group reportedly left the scene.

Detectives used cell phone data and other digital clues to help determine the location of those allegedly present during the murder, records stated.