In the quiet expanse near Whitehall, Montana, the life of 37-year-old Joe Powers, a Caucasian male, was tragically cut short on November 3, 2015. What began as an outing with acquaintances turned into a fatal encounter on the remote Fish Creek Road, marking a sudden and violent end for the young man.
The day before the incident, Tony Dwade Sawyer, a man with a criminal past, had arrived in Montana from Texas at the invitation of his former prison acquaintance, Steve Drury. After a day of running errands and using methamphetamine, Drury invited Powers and another friend, Hunter Smith, to his home. The group spent the evening together, handling firearms and mounting laser sights.
On the day of the shooting, the four men decided to drive to the Fish Creek area to shoot clay pigeons. Sawyer was carrying a Hi-Point 9-millimeter pistol that belonged to Drury. At some point, their vehicle became stuck in the snow.
As the other three worked to free it, Sawyer disappeared into the woods. After Drury, Smith, and Powers managed to get the vehicle moving again, Sawyer reappeared. Without warning, he opened fire on Smith and Powers as they walked up the road.
Joe Powers succumbed to his gunshot wound and died at the scene. Hunter Smith was shot in the chin but survived. Sawyer then confronted Steve Drury, who was in the vehicle, and shot him in the shoulder. Drury also survived the attack. Following the shooting, Sawyer fled in the vehicle.
Law enforcement launched an investigation into the triple shooting, and Tony Dwade Sawyer was identified as the suspect. He was apprehended on November 4, 2015, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Sawyer was subsequently charged with one count of deliberate homicide for the death of Joe Powers and two counts of attempted deliberate homicide for the shootings of Hunter Smith and Steve Drury.
During his trial, the prosecution presented video interviews of Sawyer conducted by law enforcement after his arrest. In these interviews, Sawyer discussed his criminal history. His defense attorneys argued for justifiable use of force and claimed he was under extreme mental or emotional distress. Ultimately, a jury in Silver Bow County convicted Sawyer on all charges. He sought a new trial, asserting ineffective assistance of counsel, but his conviction was affirmed on appeal.
