In the late summer of 2015, the life of Cody Steve Bruyere, a 26-year-old Caucasian male, was tragically cut short in Great Falls, Montana. On September 6th of that year, Bruyere was fatally shot in an act of violence that stemmed from paranoia and drug use. The man responsible for his death was Branden Conrad Miesmer.
The events leading to the fatal encounter began when Miesmer, under the influence of methamphetamine, became convinced that Bruyere was a police informant.
After using meth for the first time intravenously that day, Miesmer's paranoia intensified. He went to Bruyere's residence in the 700 block of 7th Street North and confronted him. In the ensuing moments, Miesmer shot Bruyere in the head at point-blank range.
Immediately following the shooting, Miesmer fled the scene, sparking a multi-day manhunt. His escape involved forcing a couple to drive him to Helena. North of the city, he carjacked a family, further escalating the intensity of the search. Law enforcement pursued him, with the chase at times reaching speeds of over 110 miles per hour on the interstate. After evading capture for three days, Miesmer was finally apprehended in Helena.
Following his arrest, Branden Miesmer admitted to the killing. He initially told detectives he would plead guilty to all charges without the need for a lawyer. In March 2016, he formally pleaded guilty to deliberate homicide. Despite a plea from his defense attorney to suspend a portion of his sentence, citing an abusive childhood, mental health issues, and his U.S. Army service, the judge handed down a sentence of 100 years in prison without the possibility of parole. Miesmer later attempted to withdraw his guilty plea, claiming ineffective counsel and a lack of understanding of his plea deal, but this appeal was ultimately denied by the Montana Supreme Court. He was also sentenced in federal court to an additional 120 months in prison for offenses committed during his flight from justice.
