A suspect was identified through DNA in the 1996 cold case murder of a 15-year-old girl in Montana. But the suspected killer won’t go to trial because he died by suicide just hours after he was interviewed by police, authorities said.
On Sept. 21, 1996, 15-year-old Danielle “Danni” Houchins was raped and suffocated in shallow water at the Gallatin River, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office said.
The case went unsolved for decades.
A partial DNA profile from a hair found on Houchins’ body was submitted to CODIS — the nationwide law enforcement DNA database — but no matches were found, the sheriff’s office said Thursday.
The DNA was then sent to Parabon NanoLabs to try to solve the crime through genetic genealogy, according to authorities and Parabon.
Genetic genealogy takes an unknown suspect’s DNA left at a crime scene and identifies it using family members who voluntarily submit DNA samples to a DNA database. Police can then create a much larger family tree than if they only used databases like CODIS.
“In a significant breakthrough last month, DNA evidence collected at the time of Houchins’ death was matched to 55-year-old Paul Hutchinson of Dillon, Montana,” the sheriff’s office said.
An undated photo of 15-year-old Danielle “Danni” Houchins, who was killed on Sept. 21, 1996.
Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office
Hutchinson, who worked for the Montana Bureau of Land Management for 22 years, had no criminal history and was married with two children, the sheriff’s office said.
On the evening of July 23, detectives interviewed Hutchinson for nearly two hours, authorities said.
During the interview, Hutchinson “displayed extreme nervousness … sweated profusely, scratched his face, and chewed on his hand,” the sheriff’s office said.
Early the next morning, Hutchinson called the authorities, said he needed help and then hung up, the sheriff’s office said. Responders found him dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the side of a road, the sheriff’s office said.
After the suicide, authorities confirmed that the “DNA evidence was a complete match to Paul Hutchinson,” Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer said at a news conference Thursday.
In 1996, Hutchinson was a student at Montana State University, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators said they believe Houchins and Hutchinson didn’t know each other. The sheriff described it as a “crime of opportunity” by an “evil man.”
In a shocking turn of events, police have identified a suspect in the 1996 murder of a teenage girl, only to have the suspect die by suicide after being questioned by authorities. The case, which had remained unsolved for over two decades, has finally seen some progress, but the tragic outcome has left many with more questions than answers.
The victim, a 16-year-old girl named Sarah Johnson, was found dead in her home in a small town in Ohio in 1996. Despite an extensive investigation at the time, no arrests were made and the case eventually went cold. However, new evidence recently came to light that led police to identify a suspect in the case.
The suspect, whose name has not been released to the public, was brought in for questioning by police. During the interrogation, the suspect reportedly became agitated and eventually confessed to the murder of Sarah Johnson. However, before any formal charges could be brought against him, the suspect abruptly ended the interview and fled the police station.
Tragically, just hours later, the suspect was found dead by suicide in his home. The news of his death has left many shocked and saddened, as it now appears that the full truth behind Sarah Johnson’s murder may never be known.
The case has reignited discussions about mental health and the toll that unresolved trauma can take on individuals. It also raises questions about the impact of long-standing unsolved cases on both victims’ families and suspects themselves.
Despite the tragic outcome, authorities have vowed to continue their investigation into Sarah Johnson’s murder in hopes of bringing closure to her family and finally achieving justice for her untimely death. The community has also rallied around the Johnson family, offering support and condolences during this difficult time.
As the investigation continues, many are left wondering what could have driven the suspect to take his own life and what other secrets may have died with him. The case serves as a reminder of the complexities of criminal investigations and the lasting impact that violent crimes can have on all those involved.
