BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – Michael Paul Brown, a 45-year-old former soldier, has been charged with four counts of murder in connection with the shooting that occurred at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, Montana, on August 1. The incident resulted in the deaths of a bartender and three patrons, prompting a significant response from law enforcement that involved hundreds of officers searching the surrounding mountainous area. Brown evaded capture for a week following the shooting.
Brown lived next door to the bar where the tragic event unfolded. While authorities have yet to disclose a motive for the killings, Brown's niece has indicated that he has faced long-term struggles with mental illness. The charges against him were made public on a court website on Saturday after being sealed by a state judge prior to that. However, charging documents detailing the specifics of the case were not immediately available.
In the aftermath of the shooting, Brown allegedly stole a truck, which he later abandoned a few miles from Anaconda. After ditching the vehicle, he concealed himself in nearby forests, managing to move locations while law enforcement deployed helicopters and drones in the air and searched the ground with dogs. Officials stated that the intense search pressure eventually drove him into a less populated area near a state highway, leading to his capture.
Brown was apprehended on August 8 inside an unoccupied structure close to the highway. Investigators are actively looking into whether he received assistance from anyone or had contact with property owners during his time on the run. Chase Scheuer, a spokesperson for the State Department of Justice, noted that this inquiry is ongoing.
Brown is scheduled to make his initial appearance in district court on September 3. He is currently being held on a $2 million bail and is represented by attorney Walter Hennessey, who has not yet responded to media inquiries. Anaconda, located approximately 25 miles northwest of Butte and with a population of roughly 9,000, is a small town founded in the late 1800s by a copper magnate. The area is known for its mountainous terrain and features a defunct smelter stack that dominates the valley's landscape.
The owner of The Owl Bar revealed that Brown had frequented the establishment for decades but was unaware of any conflicts between him and the victims. In Montana, a conviction for murder, termed deliberate homicide, carries the potential punishment of death. However, executions in the state have been on hold since 2015 due to legal disputes regarding the drugs used for lethal injections.
