BILLINGS - A Billings man who claimed he shot another man to death in self-defense during a road rage incident was sentenced to prison Thursday.
Yellowstone County District Court Judge Jessica Fehr ordered Jacob Troxel to serve a total of 70 years at Montana State Prison. The sentence included 60 years for deliberate homicide and a weapons enhancement of an additional 10 years in prison. Troxel will also be required to register as a violent offender.
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“The death in this case was absolutely unnecessary. Absolutely unnecessary," Fehr said while delivering the sentence. "Deliberate homicide means that Mr. Duran (the victim) will never be 30. He will never have children.”
Troxel, 31, was found guilty of the murder charge at a trial held in January. Troxel was charged following the Aug. 20, 2022, shooting death of 29-year-old Michael Duran.
The shooting happened near the downtown intersection at Fourth Avenue North and North 32nd Street following a road-rage incident that escalated into a physical confrontation before Troxel fired a handgun at Duran multiple times. Duran died a short time later.
“I tell my kids not to make eye contact with people in the car. And part of that was from this case. It's changed the way we live. It's changed the way we live in our community,” Fehr said. "I believe the sentence that I impose will in fact help to restore faith in our community, and I give you the opportunity to repay your debt to society."
The incident was caught on KTVQ's surveillance cameras. On the surveillance video, Troxel and Duran argue for about seven minutes. Troxel shoves and punches Duran throughout the altercation, before backing away and getting in his vehicle. At that point, Duran approaches Troxel's vehicle, and within about a minute of doing so he falls to the ground after being shot.
"Instead of leaving, you retrieved a firearm, you loaded that firearm, and those were the seconds where you could have left. Instead, the choice was made in that moment to fire eight rounds into a 29-year-old man named Michael Duran," Fehr said.
At trial, Troxel's defense attorney argued the fatal shooting was a justified use of force and a clear case of self-defense.
Prosecutors said Troxel's actions were unprovoked and unnecessary.
The case took an unusual path as prosecutors first took it to a coroner's inquest in October 2023 to determine whether Troxel should be charged with a criminal offense.
Before the sentencing was delivered, powerful impact statements were heard from Duran's family and friends. They all spoke about Duran's carefree, kind and loving attitude and how broken they have felt since his death.
“He was just proud of his life at this point in time. He was just proud. And I just... you took that from him, Jacob Troxel. You took his life,” said Duran's mother, Sylvia Duran. "Michael wouldn't want any of this. Michael would feel for Jacob Troxel and his family. He wouldn't want us to have to hate but he deserves justice."
Troxel's family and friends also took the stand to give impact statements.
"I would ask for mercy for Jacob, to give Jacob a chance to fill his role as a father, a son, and a husband," said Sandra McNeese, Troxel's child's grandmother. "At the same time, my heart breaks for Michael Duran's family."
Troxel took his opportunity to give a statement and apologized to Duran's family.
“There are several things that should have went differently that day," Troxel said. "I am truly sorry for the events that day.”
The prosecution recommended 85 years in prison, while Troxel's defense asked for a sentence of 30 years with 18 suspended.
"It was never my intention for things to get this far out of hand," Troxel said. "To Michael's mother, nobody should ever have to bury their son. It's not fair, it's not right, it's not proper."
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