BOZEMAN — Law enforcement officials continue to investigate the circumstances last week that left three people dead: one in Billings and two near West Yellowstone.
“On April 15th, 2021, at about 10:30 pm, deputies were called to an agency assistance request down near West Yellowstone for a vehicle pursuit,” said Gallatin County Sheriff's deputy Justin Schnelback. “The vehicle was wanted in connection to a homicide out of Billings.”
The incident in Billings happened on Thursday afternoon; police found a woman dead and said it was suspicious because she showed signs of trauma. The Yellowstone County Coroner's Office on Friday identified the murder victim as 64-year-old Roxann Renee Watson. She died of strangulation and multiple blunt force trauma, the coroner's office said.
A couple of hours later, police in Billings issued an alert about two people of interest, which is where Gallatin County comes in after locating the vehicle. Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer said that at about 10:30 pm on Thursday, Yellowstone National Park rangers attempted to make a routine traffic stop of a vehicle on Highway 191. He says the vehicle sped away until it neared Duck Creek Road and 191. At that point, the two people inside ran into the woods.
“Shortly after the pursuit, the suspects fled into a wooded area near Duck Creek,” said Schnelback. “Multiple agencies responded and set up a perimeter. A shelter in place order was requested. Shortly after the suspects fled into the wooded area, law enforcement heard two gunshots. Both suspects were later located deceased.”
The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office on Monday identified the two suspects as 22-year-old Henry Porter, 22 years old, and Erika Miller, 28, both of Billings. Both died from a single gunshot wound to the head "in an apparent homicide/suicide."
