GREAT FALLS — New details have been released about the murder of Matthew Fiechtner several miles west of Hobson in Judith Basin County on October 2, 2023.
Two people - Tyson David Kolar and Megan Michelle Fiechtner-- have been charged with deliberate homicide with a firearm.
The Judith Basin County Sheriff's Office conducted their investigation and after sorting through the details, reviewing surveillance video, and talking to witnesses, they arrested both suspects.
Court documents state that Kolar initially denied being at the home of the victim, but then told investigators he shot Mattew in self-defense. But officials say that Matthew was of no threat when Kolar shot and killed him.
Officials also saw on the surveillance video that Megan - the estranged wife of Matthew - calmly walked around the blood with her daughter, but waited 20 minutes before calling 911.
Excerpts from the charging documents:
Megan then confessed that she was present when Kolar shot Matthew. She was then Mirandized and continued to answer questions. She claimed that Matthew reached behind his back and that Kolar shot Matthew because he believed Matthew was going for a weapon. Megan reported that Kolar shot Matthew three times with a revolver that he had concealed upon his person.
Kolar denied shooting Matthew but then recanted and admitted he shot Matthew in self-defense. He maintained that Matthew started to assault him by punching him in the chest, abdomen, and legs. At this time, Kolar pulled his handgun from his right Carhartt jacket pocket and fired into Matthew within six feet. Kolar stated that he fired two additional shots at Matthew who was fleeing from him, at approximately fifteen feet. Kolar stated that, following the shooting, he drove to his residence in Lewistown and hid the murder weapon in his bedroom closet.
A follow-up interview with Megan revealed that there had been no physical altercation or assault before the shooting between Matthew and Kolar. She was adamant that there had only been a verbal altercation between the two when Matthew reached behind his back. Kolar pulled his
handgun and pointed it at Matthew, and Matthew put his hands in the air in a 'surrender' fashion and said there was no need to resort to or bring out the handgun. Despite no clear threat to Megan or Kolar, Kolar fired his handgun at Matthew, and Megan could see blood on Matthew’s upper body as he turned to run. She reported that Kolar shot a second time at Matthew and then ran after him as Matthew fled toward his house. Megan reported she heard a third shot after Kolar pursued Matthew. She said there was no threat and no self-defense in this situation, as Matthew was unarmed and posed no threat with his hands in the air.
A surveillance camera system was operating 100+ yards from the crime scene at Matthew’s house. This surveillance system recorded the encounter after Matthew pulled in driving his water truck. Both Matthew and Tyson Kolar can be seen in the video, talking for a short time. Suddenly, Kolar fired his handgun at Matthew, who runs north out of camera view. Kolar calmly starts to walk after him. There had been no physical altercation or contact before Kolar shot Matthew Fiechtner.
Megan walks into view after the shooting and gets her 2-year-old daughter from the parked water truck. Megan Fiechtner, a nurse, is seen walking about the front yard and up to the house and appears to be examining the blood. She is seen calmly walking about carrying her 2-year old daughter, and it is confirmed that she does not call 911 until 4:31:55 p.m., over 20 minutes after the shooting. In the 911 call, she lies and tells the 911 dispatcher that she arrived at the residence and found blood on the ground and door and found her 2-year-old child alone. She said she didn’t want to get in trouble for taking her 2-year-old and 6-year-old (who just got home from school) because she didn’t know where their father was. She specifically stated, “We’re in the middle of a divorce, and I don’t want to get in trouble for taking my kids…. but I don’t know where he’s at”. She knew where he was, and that he had been shot. She is a registered nurse and failed to render aid or immediately summon help.
On the day of the shooting, Megan received news that her parenting plan had been rejected. This information was provided to Megan by a mailed letter to her. Megan and Kolar also were aware that Matthew’s father planned to give a statement against the pair (Megan and Kolar) to Matthew’s civil attorney. It was anticipated that Matthew’s father would provide information related to Kolar’s unfit and unstable behavior.
Kolar is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on October 19; Fiechtner is scheduled to appear in court next week.
(OCTOBER 5, 2023) The Judith Basin County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release on Thursday, October 5, 2023, that Tyson David Kolar and Megan Michelle Fiechtner have been charged in connection with a man’s death several days ago.
Sheriff's deputies were called to conduct a welfare check at a residence near Hobson at 4:40 p.m. on Monday, October 2, and found a man dead inside the residence. The man is said to have been in his 30s.
The Sheriff’s Office said that the name of the man will not be released at the request of family members.
Kolar and Fiechtner were taken into custody a short time later.
Kolar, 40 years old, has been charged with deliberate homicide
Fiechtner, 33, has been charged with deliberate homicide by accountability and obstructing a peace officer.
Both are being held at the Fergus County Detention Center on Judith Basin County charges.
The Montana Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting the Sheriff's Office in the investigation.
No other details have been released at this point, including the cause of death, where the suspects are from, or circumstances surrounding the death.
We will update you if we get more information.
