A 15-year old boy will be tried as an adult in the fatal shooting of his sister at her home on South Meridian Road last October. He’s now identified as Kiefer Joshua Votaw. District Judge Paul Sullivan denied the motion to move him to youth court, citing the seriousness of the allegation and public safety concerns.
Judge Sullivan cited expert testimony indicating Votaw poses a risk to others and will require long-term psychological treatment. He didn’t think youth court would not be in Votaw’s best interest.
Police arrived at the home on South Meridian Road, just south of 4th Street West, at around 3:20 that Thursday afternoon. They found the 16-year girl had been shot. Officers, under the direction of Detective Chad Sweigart, worked into the night processing the scene. Turns out the boy’s mother and 18-year old brother were away on a brief errand when, prosecutors say, Votaw grabbed a gun from the family’s safe. Then, they say he loaded ammunition into the handgun and shot his sister—once in the back of the head.
Prosecutors also say that Votaw was a troubled young man, “in need of serious psychological help.” Apparently, he’d been watching videos of people being killed. It appears that he deleted data from his phone prior to the killing of his sister.
Prior to the shooting, Votaw’s last know address was the Missoula County Juvenile Detention Center. Judge Sullivan acknowledged Votaw’s troubled background, noting that he may require long-term supervision and accountability.
