Topline: The suspect allegedly acted on baseless pedophile claim.
Published: May 18, 2025 7:00 am ET
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Justin Hosey (via Yellowstone County Jail)
BILLINGS, MT — A Montana man is accused of a gruesome killing at a trailer park, where prosecutors say he tied up and set fire to a 62-year-old amputee after accusing him of being a pedophile.
According to charging documents filed in Yellowstone County District Court, 32-year-old Justin Hosey allegedly gave methamphetamine to the victim, Michael Lee Huston, before binding him, dousing him with gasoline, and setting him on fire inside his south Billings home on Saturday, May 10, KRTV reported.
Huston, a Billings resident, was identified Thursday by the Yellowstone County Coroner’s Office.
Prosecutors say Hosey believed Huston was a pedophile based solely on an inappropriate comment Huston had reportedly made about an underage girl. Authorities found no further evidence supporting the claim.
Witnesses told investigators that Hosey admitted to the crime, and a preliminary autopsy report confirmed that Huston was still alive at the time he was burned.
Hosey is currently on parole for prior convictions in North Carolina. The judge has ordered him held on $500,000 bail; if released, he would be required to wear a GPS monitor.
Hosey pleaded not guilty to one count of deliberate homicide during his first court appearance on Thursday.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Prosecutors: Montana Man Gave Meth, Tied Up, and Burned Amputee to Death
The suspect allegedly acted on baseless pedophile claim.
By Jacob Charles
Published: May 18, 2025 7:00 am ET
Justin Hosey (via Yellowstone County Jail)
BILLINGS, MT — A Montana man is accused of a gruesome killing at a trailer park, where prosecutors say he tied up and set fire to a 62-year-old amputee after accusing him of being a pedophile.
According to charging documents filed in Yellowstone County District Court, 32-year-old Justin Hosey allegedly gave methamphetamine to the victim, Michael Lee Huston, before binding him, dousing him with gasoline, and setting him on fire inside his south Billings home on Saturday, May 10, KRTV reported.
Huston, a Billings resident, was identified Thursday by the Yellowstone County Coroner’s Office.
Prosecutors say Hosey believed Huston was a pedophile based solely on an inappropriate comment Huston had reportedly made about an underage girl. Authorities found no further evidence supporting the claim.
Witnesses told investigators that Hosey admitted to the crime, and a preliminary autopsy report confirmed that Huston was still alive at the time he was burned.
Hosey is currently on parole for prior convictions in North Carolina. The judge has ordered him held on $500,000 bail; if released, he would be required to wear a GPS monitor.
Hosey pleaded not guilty to one count of deliberate homicide during his first court appearance on Thursday.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Prosecutors: Montana Man Gave Meth, Tied Up, and Burned Amputee to Death
The suspect allegedly acted on baseless pedophile claim.
By Jacob Charles
Published: May 18, 2025 7:00 am ET
Justin Hosey (via Yellowstone County Jail)
BILLINGS, MT — A Montana man is accused of a gruesome killing at a trailer park, where prosecutors say he tied up and set fire to a 62-year-old amputee after accusing him of being a pedophile.
According to charging documents filed in Yellowstone County District Court, 32-year-old Justin Hosey allegedly gave methamphetamine to the victim, Michael Lee Huston, before binding him, dousing him with gasoline, and setting him on fire inside his south Billings home on Saturday, May 10, KRTV reported.
Huston, a Billings resident, was identified Thursday by the Yellowstone County Coroner’s Office.
Prosecutors say Hosey believed Huston was a pedophile based solely on an inappropriate comment Huston had reportedly made about an underage girl. Authorities found no further evidence supporting the claim.
Witnesses told investigators that Hosey admitted to the crime, and a preliminary autopsy report confirmed that Huston was still alive at the time he was burned.
Hosey is currently on parole for prior convictions in North Carolina. The judge has ordered him held on $500,000 bail; if released, he would be required to wear a GPS monitor.
Hosey pleaded not guilty to one count of deliberate homicide during his first court appearance on Thursday.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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