Home / Crime and Justice / Cold Case Solved: Friend Was Her Killer
Cold Case Solved: Friend Was Her Killer
7 Dec, 2025
Summary
- Danni Houchins' body found in 1996, case solved nearly 30 years later.
- DNA from hair on victim matched Paul Hutchinson, a trusted friend.
- Suspect took his own life after being interviewed by investigators.
In 1996, the body of 15-year-old Danni Houchins was discovered in a swampy area near Bozeman, Montana, leaving her family and investigators baffled for decades. A recent re-examination of the case, spurred by Houchins' sister, utilized advanced DNA technology. Investigators isolated a DNA profile from a hair found on Danni's body, which ultimately led them to Paul Hutchinson.
Hutchinson, who was a graduate student in Bozeman at the time of Houchins' death, worked with the Fish and Wildlife Service. Investigators learned he had no criminal record and was a husband and father. When confronted by investigators for an interview, Hutchinson became visibly nervous. Hours after the interview, he died by suicide.
Following his death, DNA analysis confirmed Hutchinson's genetic material matched the evidence found on Danni Houchins, officially closing the nearly 30-year-old cold case. The revelation stunned many, including a childhood friend of Houchins who had known Hutchinson for years, considering him a trusted friend and hunting companion.
