For years, the death of 15-year-old Danni Houchins had been shrouded in mystery. Investigators initially said it could have been a tragic accident, but her family always suspected something more sinister.
48 HOURS and correspondent Peter Van Sant report on the case in “It’s About Danni,” airing Saturday, February 8, 2025, at 9 p.m. (Montana time) on CBS (KXLF in Butte).
WATCH RELATED: Sister of Danielle Houchins opens up after 1996 murder case solved
Houchins disappeared after a walk by a river just outside of Bozeman and was found hours later – her body face down in a swamp.
While the sheriff’s department suggested it may have been an accident, those closest to her weren’t convinced.
Houchins’ sister, Stephanie Mollet, and school friend, Rachelle Schrute, remember the fear that swept through their small town: “The rumors started flying of maybe it was a murder, and then we’re all like, ‘What?’” Schrute says.
Mollet and her family suspected that Houchins’ death couldn’t be anything but intentional: “I promised myself, I promised my sister, I’m coming for you, Danni,” Mollet tells Van Sant.
48 HOURS uncovers how the search for answers turned into a years-long battle for justice – and how a dark truth finally came to light.
(AUGUST 8, 2024) Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer says the man who killed 15-year-old Danielle Houchins in 1996 has been identified. At a news conference on Thursday, August 8, 2024, Springer said that Paul Nathaniel Hutchinson of Dillon, 55 years old, was identified using forensic DNA genome sequencing.
The Sheriff’s Office reopened Dani’s case in 2019. New technology gave hope for a different outcome in this cold case.
The preserved evidence was first sent to a forensics lab in California, where it was run through the FBI’s combined DNA index system, but no matches were found.
Investigators didn't give up, and a match was finally found in the database of a large American genealogy company though a court order.
“Preliminary DNA analysis led us to Paul Hutchinson of Dillon,” says Springer.
On July 23, 2024, investigators interviewed 55-year-old Paul Hutchinson at his home in Dillon.
“As they discussed Dani’s case, he exhibited signs of nervousness and other erratic behavior. Less than 12 hours later Hutchinson committed suicide,” says Springer.
During the nearly two-hour interview, Hutchinson, who had lived in Bozeman at the time of Houchins’ death, displayed extreme nervousness. Investigators noted he sweated profusely, scratched his face, and chewed on his hand. When shown a photo of Houchins, Hutchinson slumped in his chair and exhibited signs of being uncomfortable. Upon release, his behavior was observed to be erratic.
Early the next morning, at 4:17 AM on July 24, Hutchinson called the Beaverhead County Sheriff’s Office, informing them he needed assistance before hanging up. Deputies found him shortly thereafter on the side of the road, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
After the suicide, the sheriff's office received confirmation that the DNA evidence was a complete match to Paul Hutchinson.
“After nearly 28 years without answers without justice, we celebrate today,” said Stephanie Houchins, Danielle’s sister.
Investigators have determined that Hutchinson and Houchins had no prior connection. Describing it as a crime of opportunity, they believe Hutchinson and Houchins randomly encountered each other at the river, where Hutchinson raped her and then suffocated her in shallow water.
MTN News report from April 2021:
He was a Montana State University student beginning in September of 1996, later graduating in fisheries wildlife biology. He then worked in Montana for the 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 exemplifies our relentless pursuit of justice. We never gave up on finding the truth for Danni and her family, exhausting all means necessary to bring closure to this heartbreaking chapter,” said Gallatin County Sheriff Dan Springer. “Our commitment to justice for victims and their loved ones is unwavering, and we will continue to use every resource at our disposal to solve these cases, no matter how much time has passed.”
BACKGROUND
On Saturday, September 21st, 1996, 15-year-old Danielle left her home in Belgrade and drove out to Cameron Bridge Fishing Access.
When the teen did not return home, her mother Sheryl went to look for her. She found Danielle's truck parked at the fishing access site - unlocked and empty.
The keys to Danielle's truck and her water bottle were lying in the middle of the trail, a few feet away.
Sheryl began frantically searching for her daughter but with no luck.
The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue were called in but had to eventually stop when it became too dark to search the area safely.
Several hours later, Danielle's body was found by family friends, murdered, in a marshy area of Cameron Bridge, under a willow tree.
The position of her body and other evidence told detectives she was dragged and hidden there.
Danielle’s body was sent to the Montana State Crime Lab for an autopsy. Evidence of sexual assault was discovered, along with foreign DNA.
Now, nearly 25 years later, DNA technology has been used to identify Hutchinson.
“Montanans, Danielle’s story should anger you. Should make you think about your mothers, your sisters, your wives, and your daughters. Should make you think about everything you would do to protect and honor the women you love” says Stephanie.
The investigation into Danni’s death is closed - but law enforcement is looking into Paul Hutchinson’s life and possible connections to other cold cases.
