In the spring of 2020, a young man's life was tragically cut short in Missoula, Montana. Jonathon D. Wallack, a 19-year-old Caucasian male, was found lying in a road in the Miller Creek area, southwest of Missoula, on May 11, 2020, with a gunshot wound to the head. He was rushed to a local hospital where he remained in critical condition for five days before succumbing to his injuries on May 16, 2020.
His organs were donated, offering a chance of life to many others.
The investigation into the shooting quickly revealed a story of a drug deal gone wrong. Authorities identified 20-year-old Zakai Houck as the primary suspect. According to court documents, Houck and his girlfriend had picked up Wallack to facilitate a drug transaction. The deal was supposed to take place at a Walmart, but after Wallack was unable to withdraw enough money from an ATM, Houck shot him in the back of the head while they were in the vehicle. Afterward, Wallack was left on Ancabide Lane in Upper Miller Creek. Houck and his girlfriend then attempted to dispose of their clothing and he fled to the Salish Kootenai Reservation, where he was later apprehended.
Zakai Houck was initially charged with attempted deliberate homicide, but the charges were upgraded to deliberate homicide after Wallack's death. He was held on a $2 million bond. In addition to the homicide charge, Houck also faced charges of tampering with evidence and witness tampering. In March 2021, Houck pleaded guilty to deliberate homicide.
During the sentencing hearing in July 2021, the court heard emotional testimony from both families. Wallack's mother described the devastating impact of her son's murder on her life, leading to panic attacks and an inability to work. Houck's family spoke of his difficult upbringing, marked by drug use and domestic violence. Houck offered an apology for his actions, calling it a "tremendous mistake." The judge, while acknowledging society's failures in Houck's upbringing, sentenced him to life in prison for the murder of Jonathon Wallack. He also ordered Houck to pay nearly $23,000 in restitution to Wallack's mother for her lost wages.
