Judge Mark Stedelin has lowered the bond for 29-year-old Christina Bartley of North Broadway in Salem. She is charged with the April 2021 first-degree murder of her boyfriend Wesley Bivens at the home they shared at the time on Miles Lane southwest of Salem.
During a Wednesday morning bond reduction hearing, Stedelin agreed to cut the $1-million bond that had been set on her arrest warrant to $250,000.
If released on bond, Bartley was ordered to have no contact with the victim’s family, their residents, or places of employment.
Bartley’s attorney Matt Wilzbach had sought to lower the bond to $100,000. He noted Bartley and her family were lifelong residents and had no criminal record, not even a speeding ticket. Wilzbach added Bartley had made no attempt to leave the area knowing the possibility existed for her to be charged since the incident occurred in April 2021. Wilzbach also noted the uniqueness of the incident that would not reoccur.
Assistant State’s Attorney Tara Steele argued for the bond to remain at $ 1 million.
The January 10th trial date was confirmed, with Bartley due back in court for a pretrial hearing on November 16th.
