Nancy Lauretta Kelley, Daniel Edwin Baillie, David Allen Leach, Tony Wayne Palm die in fatal Anaconda shooting
Fatal Anaconda shooting death of Nancy Lauretta Kelley, Daniel Edwin Baillie, David Allen Leach, Tony Wayne Palm
In Anaconda, the community remains on high alert as the search for a suspect in a tragic incident continues. The event unfolded at the Owl Bar on Friday morning, leaving four individuals dead. Law enforcement identified the accused as Michael Brown, a 45-year-old resident of Anaconda. The shooting began around 10:30 a.m., with Brown entering the establishment and opening fire, resulting in the deaths of a bar staff member and three patrons. Multiple agencies joined the hunt, focusing on wooded areas near Stumptown Road, after locating the suspect’s vehicle but not its driver.
As of Monday, Brown was still missing, prompting ongoing aerial and ground searches. Authorities have not yet determined a motive for the attacks. The victims, whose names were officially released during a press briefing on the weekend, were: Nancy Lauretta Kelley, aged 64; Daniel Edwin Baillie, 59; David Allen Leach, 70; and Tony Wayne Palm, 74. The Montana Department of Criminal Investigation released images of the deceased to assist in the case, though no further details were provided.
The family of Brown expressed profound grief, with his niece, Clare Boyle, sharing her sorrow and concern for the affected families. She mentioned that Brown had faced mental health issues, including schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder, stemming from his military service. Boyle described his struggles, noting his delusional beliefs and the challenges in securing proper care due to financial and bureaucratic obstacles.
Further details from military sources confirmed Brown’s service in the U.S. Army as an armor crewman from 2001 to 2005, with deployment in Iraq. He later served in the National Guard until 2009, achieving the rank of sergeant. Despite these setbacks, his sister emphasized that he was generally harmless unless provoked.
The hunt for Brown continues, with residents urged to report any sightings to emergency services. Authorities are committed to resolving this case and bringing the suspect to justice.
