In the quiet, rural community of Darby, Montana, William "Bill" Stout, a 50-year-old White male, was found dead in his bedroom on June 10, 2007. A drywall installer known as a beloved member of the community, he was discovered under the sheets with a single gunshot wound to the head. His wife, Anne Stout, and their youngest son, Matthew, made the horrific discovery upon returning from a shopping trip. A hysterical Anne drove to a neighbor's house to call 911.
Initially, the absence of a weapon at the scene ruled out suicide. Investigators noted that a pillow partially covered Bill's head, and evidence suggested his body had been moved after his death. While the initial estimate placed the time of death about 8 to 10 hours before he was found, an autopsy later determined it was much earlier, between 10 p.m. and midnight on June 9, 2007.
This timeline placed Anne alone with Bill at the time of his murder, as their son Matthew had been out with friends and returned around midnight, while their other son, Noah, was away for the weekend.
Suspicion quickly fell upon Anne Stout. Investigators learned that about 10 days before the murder, Bill had reported his 9mm Beretta handgun, a holster, and some ammunition missing. This very gun was later found to be the murder weapon. It was discovered in the garage, inside a saddlebag on Bill's motorcycle. A crucial piece of evidence found with the gun was a glove that tested positive for gunshot residue on the outside and contained Anne's DNA on the inside.
The investigation uncovered a motive rooted in marital strife; Bill had been having an affair. Further investigation into Anne's activities revealed damning internet searches on her work computer for terms like "how to kill someone," "untraceable poisons," and "how to poison someone and get away with it." Prosecutors argued that Anne, angered by her husband's infidelity, meticulously planned the murder. They believe she shot him on the night of June 9, then staged the scene and went about her day normally before "discovering" the body.
Anne Stout was arrested just days after her husband's death. In June 2008, following a nearly three-week trial with testimony from over 60 witnesses, a jury found her guilty of deliberate homicide. She was subsequently sentenced to life in prison. Her conviction and life sentence were later upheld by the Montana Supreme Court.
