Ferndale murderer gets 100 years in prison

Bigfork resident Matthew Vitek, 50, was sentenced last week to 100 years in prison for the December 2023 murder of 56-year-old Ferndale resident Tammi Jordan.

Vitek's sentencing in District Court in Polson on Sept. 18 was in accordance with a plea agreement reached on July 31. Judge Molly Owen sentenced Vitek to the Montana State Prison for 100 years for deliberate homicide, and 100 years on each of two counts of attempted deliberate homicide. The sentences are to run concurrently with each other. 

Vitek won’t be eligible for parole for 30 years.

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. 

Jordan was found shot in the head and two other victims had suffered gunshot wounds to their chests. All three were transported to Logan Health Medical Center in Kalispell, where Jordan was pronounced dead. The other two victims were listed in stable condition the following morning. 

Vitek was arrested at the scene. 

Surveillance cameras “captured the entire event,” documents state. The videos show Jordan exiting her residence and yelling to one of the other two victims for help. The person who came to help, H. K., ran toward Jordan with a 2x4 in her hands as Vitek was verbally baiting her. 

Vitek is then seen shooting J. K. in the chest and then H. K. in the chest. He then shot Jordan in the head. 

Vitek kept verbally prompting H. K. before stomping on her head and on Jordan’s head, documents state.

An autopsy determined that Jordan’s “cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head and the manner of death was homicide.”

Owen also ordered Vitek to pay restitution of $16,914.15,and gave him credit for time served of 283 days.