Great Falls man who committed suicide identified as suspect in March 17 murder
The suspect in the murder of Great Falls business owner JoAnn Malone has been identified. The Great Falls Police Department identified 53-year-old Chae Buchholz of Great Falls as the suspect Friday afternoon. Buchholz took his own life during a stand-off with multiple law enforcement agencies in Valier roughly six hours after Malone's death.
Malone died after suffering “multiple gunshot wounds” at a home on the 1400 block of 3rd West Hill Drive on March 17. A news release from the Great Falls Police Department (GFPD) the following morning said 911 dispatchers received reports of gunshots coming from the home at approximately 5:40 p.m. that evening.
"Upon arrival, officers discovered one person deceased from what appeared to be a gunshot wound,” the news release states. “Officers quickly identified a suspect and learned that person had left the residence only minutes before."
Investigators identified the vehicle Buchholz was driving as a black GMC truck. Roughly two hours later the suspect vehicle was spotted by a Pondera County deputy parked off State Highway 44 roughly 20 miles east of Valier.
“When deputies attempted to contact the suspect, he fled west with deputies in pursuit,” said Pondera County Sheriff Robert Skorupa in a March 17 news release. “During the pursuit the suspect fired a pistol at the pursuing deputies.”
“He shot at our officers twice, but our officers never shot back,” Skorupa added. “The pursuit went through the town of Valier and stopped at the Valier Pavilion boat ramp where deputies were able to block his escape.”
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene of the standoff on the shore of Lake Frances, including the Cascade County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI.
“Once the SWAT team out of Great Falls showed up, they took over,” Skorupa said. “They have more training and equipment than we do, so it became their baby.”
“For three hours deputies and negotiators attempted to work with the suspect to surrender peacefully but at about 11:00 P.M. he shot himself,” the news release states.
Skorupa added that Buchholz was familiar with the Valier area and had been there several times to fish in Lake Frances.
Malone was the founder and CEO of Seeking Recovery addiction counseling service in Great Falls. Investigators have not revealed the precise nature of Malone’s relationship with Buchholz but have said that Malone’s murder was not a random crime.
Shortly after her death Seeking Recovery posted the following statement on its website.
“It is with an extremely heavy heart that we have to announce the passing of our friend, CEO, and business owner Joann Malone. We ask for privacy in this time of mourning. Please rest assured that Joann's mission to help the community will continue.”
Sheriff Skorupa remarked that over the past two or three years Valier has been the site of several violent crimes, including an attempted homicide and a separate high-speed chase that ended with police shooting a suspect who rushed at Glacier County deputies wielding a knife.
Valier is a small agricultural town of around 500 people. It lies on a heavily traveled route connecting U.S. Interstate 15 with the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and Glacier National Park.
“We’re in a bad spot,” Skorupa said. “The good old days of not locking your door are over.”
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Suspect in murder of Great Falls businesswoman JoAnn Malone identified
