Vitek pleads not guilty to homicide, attempted homicide
Matthew Vitek and public defender Camisha Sawtelle (Jeff Smith photo)
A Bigfork man accused of shooting three people and killing one of them was arraigned Jan. 3 in District Court in Polson. Matthew Vitek, 50, entered a plea of not guilty to felony charges of deliberate homicide and two counts of attempted deliberate homicide. The charges each carry a maximum 100-year prison sentence, plus 10 years for a using a dangerous weapon.
According to court records, on Dec. 10, 2023, deputies with Lake and Flathead County Sheriff’s offices responded to multiple reports of shots fired on Cayuse Lane in Ferndale. Flathead County deputies were first on scene, and found two of the victims, later identified as Tammi Jordan and J.K., outside an automotive shop, both with gunshot wounds. The third victim, H.K, was later found as deputies cleared the area east of the shop.
According to the report, deputies heard the sound of gunfire from inside the shop, and when they entered and announced their presence, the suspect "tossed a gun on the ground" and was arrested.
Jordan, 56, had been shot in the head. The other two victims had suffered gunshot wounds to their chests. All three were transported to Logan Health in Kalispell, where Jordan was pronounced dead. The other two victims were listed in stable condition the following morning.
According to court documents, surveillance cameras “captured the entire event.”
The video shows Jordan exit her residence and yell to one of the other two victims for help. The person who came to help, H.K., ran toward Jordan with a two by four in her hands as Vitek was verbally baiting her. J.K was on the property and attempted to lend assistance.
The suspect can be heard saying, “You are all going to die.” He then yells, “Alright, here we go. We’re going to have some fun.”
The suspect is then seen shooting J.K. in the chest and then H.K. in the chest. He then shoots Jordan in the head. The surveillance video shows Vitek continuing to verbally assault H.K. before stomping on her head and on Jordan’s head.
An autopsy determined that Jordan’s “cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was homicide.”
Prosecutor Lori Adams with the Lake County Attorney’s office indicated that she will not seek the death penalty and requested bond be set at $3,000,000.
Judge Molly Owen set the case for jury trial on June 3. Vitek remains in the Lake County Jail.