Montana Murders: Notorious and Unsolved

by Brian D'Ambrosio

Overview

Award-winning Montana author Brian D'Ambrosio examines the most notorious murders in the state's history. Some are historical accounts from Montana's early Wild West history, but most are contemporary cases that shocked communities, investigators, and families. Many remain bafflingly unsolved. Some cases have been featured in national media, such as the famous and inexplicable murders of the parents of television's Patrick Duffy (Dallas) and the serial murders by the hermitic Unabomber. But D'Ambrosio also unearths gruesome, little known cold cases that haunt surviving families and friends to this day. Drawing on official investigative reports and numerous personal interviews with law enforcement officials, witnesses, and survivors, D'Ambrosio describes each murder like a good detective story. Readers will find riveting details about the murderers, their motives and methods, and their unfortunate victims. Includes 20 black and white photos.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781606391341
Publisher:	Globe Pequot
Publication date:	08/03/2023
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	1
File size:	22 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Brian D'Ambrosio is a prolific writer of nonfiction books and articles. He specializes in histories, biographies, and profiles of actors and musicians. One of his previous books for Riverbend, Warrior in the Ring, a biography of Native American world champion boxer Marvin Camel, was a finalist for the High Plains Book Award. He also wrote Shot in Montana: A History of Cinema in Montanafor Riverbend. He has written for The History Press and contributes to several newspapers and magazines. He lives in Helena, Montana.

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

1 "Dynamite" Ike's Campaign of Terror Helena, 1903 17

2 Reporter Slays Politician Thompson Falls, 1916 23

3 The Lynching of Labor Leader Frank Little Butte, 1917 29

4 Fifty-Year Sentence for "Turkey Pete" Deer Lodge, 1918 38

5 "Work of a Maniac," The Billings Ax Murders 1924 44

6 Fiendish Murder of a Wealthy Widow Butte, 1930 48

7 Fifteen-Year-Old Murderess-or Victim? Great Falls, 1937 54

8 Butte Pastor Killed by Korean Army Korea, 1950 61

9 Teen Couple Executed on Lovers' Lane Great Falls, 1956 64

10 Double Murders at McGregor Lake Kalispell, 1963 69

11 September Slayings at the Super Save Great Falls, 1964 75

12 Double Homicide, Plus One Butte, 1965 83

13 A Reign of Homegrown Terror Manhattan, 1967-1974 88

14 Brutal Blow Puts Ex-Boxer Down for the Count Missoula, 1969 96

15 Montana Labor Leader Orders Hit on His Rival Pennsylvania, 1969 105

16 Killer With a License to Kill 1972-1973 110

17 A Murderer Comes to Dinner Billings, 1973 114

18 Wayne Nance, Sadistic Serial Killer Missoula, 1974-1986 118

19 A Child Who Vanished Clancy, 1983 124

20 The Suspicious Disappearance of a Priest Ronan, 1984 136

21 "Mountain Men" Mayhem and Murder Big Sky, 1984 136

22 Random Acts of Violence Great Falls, 1985-1986 146

23 Murder at the Bad Route Rest Area Glendive, 1985 154

24 A Life, and A Disappearance Livingston, 1986 160

25 Shotgun Slayings of a TV Star's Parents Boulder, 1986 170

26 The Murder of "LIL MISS" Billings, 1988 176

27 The Double Homicide of Tourists Seeley Lake, 1991 183

28 Killed By A "Shadow" For No Reason Ferndale, 1993 188

29 The Unsolved Murder of Barkeeper Montana City, 1994 195

30 Strange Story in Paradise: Looks Like Murder, Authorities Say Suicide Livingston, 1995 199

31 Montana's Brilliant Madman: The Unabomber Lincoln, 1978-1995 212

32 Cannibal Killer: Nathaniel Bar-Jonah Great Falls, 1996 217

33 Montana Man Kills at the Nation's Capitol Washington, D.C., 1998 220

34 Violence at the Video Store Laurel, 1998 223

35 The Life and Abduction of Shannon LaBau Helena, 1999 231

36 Almost Home: Another Unsolved Case in Livingston Livingston, 2000 243

37 The Beauty Parlor Massacre Florence, 2001 254

38 Hometown Success Murdered in Texas Columbia Falls, 2002 261

39 Montana's Most Famous Exonerated Man Poplar, 1979-2015 268

40 A Foreign Affair: Suicide or Murder Cover-Up? Singapore, 2012 272

41 A Pushover for a Honeymoon Glacier National Park, 2013 276

Selected Bibliography 283

Index 285