Executive Summary
- Ravalli County Sheriff renews appeal for information on July 2020 fatal arson.
- New surveillance images released identifying vehicles of interest.
- Three victims, David and Shandell Dewey and William Gay, died in the Corvallis fire.
- Investigators link the blaze to other arson fires in Hamilton and Corvallis.
- DNA evidence is currently being analyzed by detectives.
The Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office has renewed its appeal for information regarding a 2020 arson fire in Corvallis, Montana, that resulted in the deaths of three residents, releasing surveillance imagery Sunday in an effort to identify potential leads. Sheriff Steve Holton announced that investigators are seeking public assistance to identify vehicles captured in the newly released photos, which are believed to be connected to the unsolved case.
The fatal fire occurred early on July 6, 2020, at a four-plex residence, claiming the lives of David Dewey, Shandell Dewey, and William Gay. According to Sheriff Holton, investigators determined the blaze was set intentionally. The Sheriff’s Office has since linked this incident to several other arson fires reported during the same week, including a fire days earlier at the same building and two additional incidents in Hamilton.
Sheriff Holton stated that detectives are currently analyzing DNA evidence collected at the scene and are actively disqualifying leads to narrow their focus. “It’s too coincidental. Those cases have to be connected somehow,” Holton said, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to gathering sufficient evidence to prosecute the perpetrators.
Authorities are urging anyone with information, no matter how seemingly insignificant, to contact the Sheriff’s Office. Holton noted that observations, conversations, or suspicious feelings remembered from that time period could be key to solving the case. Tips can be directed to Detective Hachenberger or submitted anonymously via CrimeStoppers.
Investigative Outlook
The renewed public push in this five-year-old homicide investigation underscores the complexities often associated with arson cases involving multiple crime scenes. By linking the fatal Corvallis fire to incidents in Hamilton, investigators are treating the events as a serial pattern, which suggests a specific operational footprint for the perpetrator or perpetrators. The release of surveillance evidence at this stage indicates a strategic effort to refresh witness memory and generate new investigative avenues in a case where forensic DNA analysis is still pending. As the investigation remains active, law enforcement continues to prioritize the identification of the vehicles in question to establish a definitive timeline of events.
