The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday the identity of the killer of Danielle Houchins, the 15-year-old girl who was raped and murdered at Cameron Bridge almost 28 years ago.
While we now know who committed the crime, the motive behind the heinous act may never be fully understood.
“After nearly 28 years without answers and without justice, we finally have some closure,” says Stephanie Houchins, Danielle’s sister.
Cold case solved as killer of Montana teen identified
Danielle Houchins left her home in Belgrade on Sept. 21, 1996, and drove out to Cameron Bridge Fishing Access. She never returned.
Several hours after she went missing, Danni was found by family friends, murdered.
“He was the one who forcefully and violently assaulted my sister. Then he held her head down in a marsh until she choked to death on mud,” says Stephanie.
Who killed Danielle Houchins? That was the question that lingered for almost 28 years – until about a month ago.
“During the initial investigation, four hairs were collected from Danni’s body,” says Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer.
The Sheriff’s Office reopened Danni’s case in 2019, and new technology offered hope for a breakthrough in this cold case.
The preserved evidence was sent to a forensics lab in California, where it was processed through the FBI’s DNA database with no matches.
Undeterred, investigators persisted, and a match was eventually found in the database of a large genealogy company through a court order.
“Preliminary DNA analysis led us to Paul Hutchinson of Dillon, Montana,” says Springer.
In July of 2024, investigators interviewed 55-year-old Paul Hutchinson at his home in Dillon.
“As they discussed Danni’s case, he displayed signs of nervousness and erratic behavior. Less than 12 hours later, Hutchinson took his own life,” says Springer.
Murder at Cameron Bridge
Following Hutchinson’s suicide, the Sheriff’s Office received confirmation that his DNA matched the evidence.
Sheriff Springer reveals that Hutchinson was married and worked for the Bureau of Land Management for 22 years.
Hutchinson had two children, a daughter around 20 years old and a younger son. Springer mentions that Hutchinson was a graduate student at Montana State University and had only been in the area for a short period at the time of the murder.
“This seemed to be a crime of opportunity where a malicious man took the life of an innocent and lovely 15-year-old girl. This case demonstrates the sheriff’s office’s unwavering commitment to justice. We never stopped searching for the truth for Danni and her family,” says Springer.
Despite nearly three decades of seeking justice for her sister, Stephanie Houchins admits she still feels incomplete.
“The institutions supposed to safeguard the rights of victims. To ensure that ruthless criminals are brought to justice in Montana. Those institutions failed my sister, failed my family, and failed this community,” says Stephanie.
Stephanie believes 28 years is far too long and that she had to fight too hard to obtain justice for her 15-year-old sister.
“Montanans, Danielle’s story should ignite a fire in you. It should make you think about your mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters. It should compel you to do everything in your power to protect and honor the women you love,” says Stephanie.
The investigation into Danni’s death is closed, but law enforcement is continuing to look into Paul Hutchinson’s background and potential links to other cold cases.
