On about September 9, 2002, a male, identified as William T. Adams, was found murdered in a shallow grave in a homeless camp at the north end of Orange Street in Missoula. The case is under active investigation.

This case was solved September 2022 by using a SNP profile recovered from evidence. Genealogical DNA identified the suspect and it was later determined the suspect was deceased.  Adams' family was notified of the investigation. 

 

 

Barbara Bolick was last seen near the Bear Creek Overlook in the Bitterroot Mountains, west of Victor in Montana on Wednesday, July 18, 2007.  As of 2023, her current age would be 71.  She is 5'0", 115 lbs, Caucasian brown eyes, red/auburn hair, and pierced ears.  She was last seen wearing a pastel-colored shirt, tan shorts, and had a black colored backpack.  She was hiking with a partner and when they turned around, she was gone. No sign of her was found in the area which was searched by SAR personnel, volunteers and search dogs.  

If you believe you might have any information or if you have any questions about the investigation you are encouraged to contact MCSO Special Agent Lee Oly at (406) 830-8020 or MCSO Special Agent Norm Wight (406) 830-7006 or RCSO Lt. Zae Hudson (406) 375-4020.

On about July 1, 1991 Iva and Kenneth Cheetham, from Washington State, were shot and killed near Lake Inez north of Missoula. Their van was found at the end of a new logging road on 8/5/91 and their bodies were found about two miles south of the van on 9/11/91. A Hitachi VM-5200A video camera was stolen from the van and has never been recovered.

On 11/6/01 there was a triple homicide in Florence, MT, at The Hair Gallery Beauty Salon. Victims were Dorothy Harris, Brenda Patch and Cynthia Paulus. The Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office has recently requested the assistance of the Missoula County Cold Case Team.

In the early morning hours of 5/2/90 Bertha Scott was killed in her room at the Riverside Health Care Facility, which is on East Broadway in Missoula. In the early morning hours of 7/1/90 Nancy Lagerquist was taken from her room at the same facility, murdered, and then thrown into the river. Both victims were elderly and infirm.

 

 

In September 1985, a local hunter was tracking a bear he had shot in the woods south of Missoula, MT when he came upon human skeletal remains. An initial investigation revealed that the remains belong to a female homicide victim. The cause of death was two close range 0.32 caliber bullets to the skull.

The woman was identified using genealogical DNA testing, as a missing person from Washington State, Janet Lucas.

 

   

 

Siobhan McGuinness was a five-year old girl who was abducted from the vicinity of her home in northern Missoula on February 7, 1974. She was on her way home from playing at a friend’s house. Her body was found by the highway about ten miles east of town.

The case was solved jointly by the FBI, Missoula Police Department and the Missoula Sheriff’s Cold Case team, using genetic genealogy DNA research, and follow-up investigation.

In the early morning hours of Monday, September 30, 1996 Clifford Lee Nelson was murdered by gunfire in his home in Seeley Lake. Mr. Nelson was a highly respected teacher and member of the community. He had been named “Teacher of the Year” for the entire State of Montana for 1981. The loss of this educator affected many in this town.

 

Decomposed remains were found on 2/1/2020 near the Missoula sewage plant and a homeless encampment.  What has been identified at this time is it was an adult male, 40 to 60 years of age, probably Caucasian, 5' 6" to 6'2" height, healed ribs, radius, nose and ankle, screws in left tibia and left fibula.  At this time, we are awaiting DNA results from the remains to be processed and uploaded to the National Missing and Unidentified Remains database.

The remains were identified using genetic genealogy.  It was discovered that the man's family had reported him missing from California in 2020.  The family was notified of the identification. 

 

On 8/9/14 a backpacker discovered skeletal remains in the Bidwell Gulch area of the Welcome Creek Wilderness. The Granite County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Missoula Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Team.

The remains were identified using genetic genealogy. The young man’s remains were returned to his family in Texas.