Montana Cold Case Featured On Popular TV Show

One of the things that folks can't get enough of seems to be "True Crime". Websites, television shows, and even podcasts are dedicated to cases both solved and unsolved as the hunger for these stories seems to grow.

READ MORE: Montana's Most Infamous Killer

Montana is no stranger to murder and mayhem.

Over the years there have been several high-profile cases, with the biggest resulting in the capture and arrest of Ted Kaczynski. Until his capture just outside Lincoln, Montana in 1996, Kaczynski was known as "The Unabomber" and was the subject of one of the biggest manhunts in the history of the country.

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Movies and documentaries have been made about Kaczynski and his life, however, a Montana "Cold Case" that was recently solved is now getting national attention, including a recent spot on 48 Hours that aired on February 8th. 

Check out some of the most famous homicides in Montana history.

Which Montana Cold Case is receiving national attention?

Back in 1996, 15-year-old Danni Houchins was found dead near Bozeman in a waterway. According to reports, there had been a disagreement that morning, and the teenager decided to head to the river. Her body would be discovered that evening.

There weren't a whole lot of leads in the case and according to the news report, the family was told that their daughter might have drowned and in the coroner's report it was ruled her death was not a homicide, but "undetermined".

For years, not much came of the death, however, the family certainly didn't forget Danni, nor did local law enforcement.

How was a Montana Cold Case solved almost 30 years later?

In July of 2024, law enforcement interviewed a man by the name of Paul Hutchinson who was attending Montana State University in Bozeman at the time of Danni's death. Advancements in DNA had led the investigators to Hutchinson who was living in Dillon, Montana, and was well respected around the area.

Hutchinson was known in the outdoor world and had a family including a wife and two children.

During the interview, the video footage shows Hutchinson becoming very uncomfortable with the questions, especially when they started to talk about Danni. According to Survalince, Hutchinson started to drive at high speeds after the interview was over.

Just hours after the interview, Paul Hutchinson took his own life. Investigators were able to use his DNA to match that of the killer. He had no prior record, nor any sort of run-ins with the law.

READ MORE: Famous Montana Cold Case Solved

In what could be one of the strangest twists in the story is that a childhood friend of Danni grew up to be friends with her murderer. According to 48 Hours, the friend, now an adult called Paul Hutchinson "a friend" and a "trusted resource". According to her account, the two had spent time together in the woods fishing and she never felt unsafe.

For those wanting to learn more or watch the 48 Hours episode, "It's About Danni" it is currently streaming on Paramount Plus.