Woman Found Dead from Bullet Wounds, Warden Shoots Homicide Suspect Outside Billings Bar

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Yellowstone County authorities say a 22-year-old woman died of gunshot wounds near a bar where a deputy shot a 49-year-old man during a confrontation and who also later died.

Authorities on Saturday identified the dead as Erica Yurian and Thomas Hilger.

Sheriff Mike Linder tells the Billings Gazette the investigation is continuing. He says Yurian's death is being treated as a homicide.

He says two deputies have been placed on administrative leave.

Linder says deputies responded to a report at about 2:30 a.m. Friday of suspicious activity near the 406 Bar. Deputies located a man in a car. They were talking with him at about 4 a.m. when the man allegedly pulled a gun. At least one deputy shot the man.

While investigating that shooting, authorities found Yurian's body in a vehicle.