"Somebody knows something somewhere."
"We will keep searching."
"The person who is responsible for these crimes is always going to be looking over their shoulder."
Families living with unanswered questions, law enforcement searching for a break in cold cases that haunt communities. MTN News recently took a look at unsolved murders in Gallatin County, Park County and Butte-Silver Bow.
Here are some of the stories that families and law enforcement officials shared with us.
'Somebody knows something somewhere': Randy Church case passes 40 years unsolved “What was so important that you had to kill him?”
BOZEMAN — “Somebody knows something somewhere.”
For the last forty years, Ruby Burney has been asking herself a question: Why? Why was her 23-year-old brother, Randy Church, murdered in Bozeman? Ruby recalls hearing the news after receiving a phone call from her mother.
“(My mom) told me, and I don’t know why, but the first thing out of my mouth was ‘what do we do now?’ I will never, ever forget that day.”
WATCH: "What Do We Do Now?": Sister's Heartfelt Plea in Unsolved Murder of Randy Church
On February 10th, 1985, 23-year-old Randy Church was closing the Pizza Hut restaurant off Main Street in Bozeman. Temperatures that night dipped to 2 degrees. Church was reportedly closing with another employee, whom he later sent home early while he continued to clean and follow the closing procedure.
“Randy was very meticulous about the closing of Pizza Hut -- he cleaned everything, deep cleaned everything, and very meticulous about the books,” Detective Spencer Jenkins, Bozeman Police Department, said.
According to reports, Randy was discovered with a gunshot wound the next morning, when his manager was called to the restaurant.
"I talked to the detective, the new detective: he's awesome. We made a deal that we would talk every three months, and he has stuck to that. He may not be able to tell me much, but he does at least let me know that they are still working on it," Ruby said.
Ruby emphasizes the importance of keeping what is now Bozeman’s only cold case at the top of people’s minds because: ‘somebody knows something somewhere’.
“Back in the day, you might have been scared to say anything. Back in the day, you may have been friends with this guy – chances are you probably aren’t now. So if you know something, come forward,” Ruby said.
Along with keeping the case in the forefront of people’s minds, Ruby wishes to keep Randy’s memory alive.
“What a remarkable man he was. He’d give you the shirt off his back if he could help in any way. He was there to help,” Ruby said.
WATCH: Family of Murdered Bozeman Student Calls for Justice Nearly 37 Years After Tragedy
WATCH: "What was so important that you had to kill him?"
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'We will keep searching': Park County Sheriff's Office revisits cold cases
LIVINGSTON — The rich history of Park County is shadowed by a series of unsolved murders that continue to haunt the community. Detective Brian Green from the Park County Sheriff’s Office, who has served for 17 years, is determined to bring attention to three remaining cold cases.
The oldest of these cases is that of Amy Marie Johnson, who was last seen on May 7, 1986. "Amy was last seen May 7th, 1986. Her body was never found, and foul play is suspected in her disappearance," Green says.
WATCH: Unsolved Tragedies: The Cold Cases That Still Haunt Park County
Another cold case that many locals may remember is that of Thomas Nelson McNair. Last seen on March 29, 1995, at just 18 years old, he was found dead in the Yellowstone River by fishermen on May 4, 1995. While a suicide note was discovered during the investigation, the circumstances of his death remain unclear, leaving the case open. In his memory, a skate park near Park High School has been dedicated to him.
One cold case highlighted by Detective Green involves Angela Marie Brown, who was reported missing on October 15, 1997.
"Her vehicle was located in the parking lot of Western Drug shortly thereafter," Green says. "She was found in the Yellowstone River by a fisherman on February 9th, 1998. And her death was ruled a homicide. "
Another unresolved case under investigation is that of Sheila Jordan, a Livingston woman murdered in 2000.
As the years go by, Detective Green emphasizes the urgency of keeping these cases alive.
"Eventually, it could age out. Unfortunately, the more time goes by. Witnesses forget things. Witnesses pass away. New detectives may not be familiar with the case. So unfortunately, the longer it goes, the harder it is to keep it alive."
Despite the challenges, Green remains committed. “As long as I'm on the job, I’ll keep searching,” he asserted. He encourages anyone with information on these cases to come forward, stating, “Time is of the essence, so if you know anything at all, please call me.”
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Butte has open murder, missing persons cases going back 60 years
BUTTE - Butte is a town full of unsolved murders, including a brutal one in which the bodies of a mother and daughter were found beaten, shot, and abandoned right here behind Big Butte. That was 60 years ago, long forgotten by many, but law enforcement says they never forget.
“I always have hope that one day, specifically with some of these cases here locally, we’ll be putting the cuffs on some of these folks before I leave,” said Butte Sheriff Ed Lester.
WATCH: From 1965 to Today: Butte Law Enforcement Reflects on Long-Standing Unsolved Murders
Since 1965, Butte investigators still haven’t brought the killer of Marjorie and Nancy McQuiston to justice.
“There are a lot of people who were there at the time of that crime who are deceased now, so that’s one thing we have to deal with. But technology is always changing, and we always have hope we’ll be able to solve some of these cases,” said Lester.
Investigators hope improved DNA technology and advances in artificial intelligence can help solve the 1994 killing of Julianne Stallman.
“It doesn’t hurt to go back and look at those pieces of evidence as technology changes, because, like I said, what wasn’t a critical piece of evidence in 1994 may be a critical piece of evidence today,” according to the sheriff.
In November of 2007, Brandy Christiansen disappeared without a trace.
In June of 2012, the only thing found of Michael Canada was a pair of severed legs. Both cases remain unsolved.
“The person who is responsible for these crimes is always going to be looking over their shoulder. And someday, there’ll be a law enforcement officer who says, ‘You’re coming with us,’ and that will be their last free breath,” said Lester.
