Daniel Merritt was a man who dedicated his life to serving others in and around his hometown of Missoula, Montana. A 57-year-old White male, he had served in the U.S. Navy and as a firefighter for the Montana Air National Guard. For 24 years, he was a career firefighter with the Missoula Rural Fire District, retiring as a Battalion Chief in 2019. His family described him as a supportive father who cared deeply for his community, and his oldest son later said, "My father would do anything to
help others, his career was centered on protecting people and property."
That life of service came to a violent end on January 3, 2021, inside his home on Bailey Street. It was not until the next afternoon, however, that authorities would learn of the tragedy. On January 4, Daniel’s 22-year-old son, Colton Ryan Merritt, called 911 to report that he had shot his father. Colton claimed he had acted in self-defense, telling the dispatcher his father had been outside his bedroom door threatening to break it down and kill him.
Colton told authorities that when his father entered the room, he shot him with a .22-caliber bolt-action rifle. He also admitted that after the initial shots, he saw his father twitching and shot him again to "put him out of his misery." He had waited approximately 21 hours before calling for help. Deputies arrived at the home, and Colton surrendered without incident. He was arrested and charged with deliberate homicide.
During legal proceedings, prosecutors painted a picture that contradicted a simple claim of self-defense. They revealed that Daniel had been shot at least 19 times, suffering 21 total wounds, and that Colton had to stop and reload the rifle during the attack. It also emerged that Daniel had filed to evict his son from the home in late December 2020. Family members told investigators that about a month before the killing, Colton had pointed a gun at his father during another confrontation.
Colton Merritt pleaded not guilty, and his bail was set at $2 million. While his defense attorney filed notice of a potential mental health defense, Colton was ultimately found fit to proceed to trial. At his sentencing hearing, Daniel’s loved ones gave emotional statements. His son Matthew, referencing the number of wounds, told the court, “Colton did not decide to kill my dad once. He made 19 individual decisions to kill my dad over and over and over again until my dad was lifeless and mutilated.”
On July 14, 2023, Colton Merritt was sentenced to 95 years in prison for killing his father. He will be eligible for parole after serving 24.5 years.
