On the evening of Friday, May 23, 2025, the small community of Hingham, Montana, was shattered by an act of violence that claimed the life of 39-year-old Tiffiney Ncole Niehoff. The tragic events began to unfold at approximately 6:01 p.m. when the Hill County Sheriff's Office received a frantic 911 call from a residence at 301 2nd Street. The female caller reported that a male at the home was threatening her with a gun, but the call was abruptly disconnected.
A second 911 call from the same address delivered the grim news that a woman had been shot and was deceased. The caller also informed dispatchers that the male suspect had retreated to the basement of the house with the weapon. Emergency medical services were dispatched to the scene but were instructed to wait in a safe location until law enforcement could secure the area.
Upon their arrival, Hill County Deputies learned that medical personnel had already entered the residence and confirmed that Tiffiney Niehoff was deceased.
Deputies established a perimeter around the home and were able to safely evacuate several witnesses. Believing the suspect was still barricaded in the basement, law enforcement made numerous attempts to establish contact, but received no response. The situation prompted a significant law enforcement mobilization, with the Hill County Sheriff's Office requesting assistance from the Great Falls/Cascade County tactical team and other agencies to secure the area and search for the suspect. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the entire Hingham community as a precaution.
After a tense standoff, negotiators were eventually able to make contact with the suspect, who then surrendered peacefully and without further incident. The individual taken into custody was identified as 20-year-old Deshawn Leeallen Chapman. He was arrested and charged with felony Deliberate Homicide. Chapman was subsequently booked into the Hill County Detention Center, with his bond set at $1,000,000. In the aftermath, the Hill County Sheriff's Office continued their investigation, which included sending the victim's body to the Montana Crime Lab for an autopsy and a search for a pistol that was believed to have been dropped or hidden by the suspect in the town of Hingham. Authorities urged residents to be vigilant and report the discovery of any firearm to law enforcement immediately.
