After nearly three decades, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office has announced the solution to a cold case involving the murder of 15-year-old Danielle “Danni” Houchins of Belgrade, Montana. Houchins died tragically on September 21, 1996.

That day, Houchins left home around 11 a.m. When she did not return, her worried family reported her missing to the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office. Her mother discovered Houchins’ truck at the Cameron Bridge Fishing Access on the Gallatin River, and later that night, Houchins’ body was found face down in shallow water.

Last month, a major breakthrough occurred: DNA evidence collected at the time of Houchin’s death was matched to 55-year-old Paul Hutchinson of Dillon, Montana. One day after Hutchinson was first interviewed by Gallatin County police, he committed suicide.

Investigators have determined that Hutchinson and Houchins had no prior connection. They describe it as a crime of opportunity and believe Hutchinson and Houchins met by chance at the river, where Hutchinson raped her and then suffocated her in the shallow water.

Although numerous suspects were interviewed over the years, Hutchinson was never linked to the case until he was identified through DNA results. He was a student at Montana State University starting in September 1996 and later graduated with a degree in fisheries biology. He then worked for the Montana Bureau of Land Management in Dillon for 22 years. He had no criminal or traffic history and was married with two adult children.

“This case is an example of our relentless pursuit of justice. We never gave up on finding the truth for Danni and her family and have exhausted every means necessary to close this heartbreaking chapter,” said Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer. “Our commitment to justice for the victims and their loved ones is unwavering and we will continue to use every means at our disposal to resolve these cases, no matter how much time has passed.”

This investigation highlights the importance of preserving evidence so that future technology can identify suspects. Murders by “strangers” are the most difficult to solve and rely heavily on physical evidence. In this case, materials were preserved and over time, using modern technology that was not previously available, the evidence was able to be analyzed and DNA extracted. The investigation stalled over the years as suspects known to Danni were ruled out.

“The investigation remained open because we knew that Danni was murdered and that one day we would have the means to solve the case,” said Springer.

In 2019, the sheriff’s office renewed its efforts to solve the case. When Springer became sheriff in 2021, he felt the case needed to be looked at from new, unbiased and outside perspectives. He hired private investigator Tom Elfmont, a retired Los Angeles Police Department officer with decades of experience, to assist him. Elfmont was assisted remotely by Sergeant Court Depweg of the Newport Beach Police Department, who specializes in solving homicide cases using DNA technology.

During the initial investigation, four hairs were collected from Houchin’s body. This preserved evidence was sent to Astria Forensics in California for analysis. A partial DNA profile was created from one of the hairs and run through the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, but no matches were found. The profile was then sent to Parabon NanoLabs in Virginia, where genealogists used additional DNA databases to identify Hutchinson as a suspect.

On the evening of July 23, 2024, Elfmont and Depweg interviewed Hutchinson. During the nearly two-hour interview, Hutchinson, who had been living in Bozeman at the time of Houchin’s death, displayed extreme nervousness. Investigators noted that he was sweating profusely, scratching his face, and chewing on his hand. When shown a photograph of Houchin, Hutchinson slumped in his chair and showed signs of discomfort. After his release, his behavior was observed to be erratic.

Early the next morning, at 4:17 a.m. on July 24, Hutchinson called the Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office and told them he needed help before hanging up. Officers soon found him on the side of the road, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The investigation is continuing to resolve outstanding questions. Information obtained will be shared with federal and local law enforcement agencies to identify possible victims of similar crimes.

This resolution brings a long-awaited sense of closure to Danni’s family and the community. The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to justice and thanks everyone who helped bring this case to a close.\t

Republished with permission of the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office