A Flathead County man was charged with deliberate homicide Tuesday morning, for the shooting death of his girlfriend.
Robert Kowalski, 46, told his roommate Sunday that he shot Lorraine Morin. When law enforcement arrived at his home, a standoff began. The standoff lasted for about 30 hours, and Flathead County Sheriff, Mike Meehan, says the timing for each phase of the operation was very appropriate.
"The standoff itself lasted just about the right amount of time, we knew that the suspect had been heavily drinking prior to entering the residence. There was about a 24 hour cool down period there where we were quite sure that he was out of alcohol, he had sobered up a little bit, and negotiation began to pick up at that point."
On Sunday officers surrounded Kowalski's house shortly after finding Morin dead from a gunshot wound to the head at her home. A perimeter was set up, a section of Highway 35 closed, and several neighbors left.
SWAT teams from Flathead County, Kalispell and Missoula County rotated throughout the night and next day.
Meehan: "I really appreciate the other agencies ability to help, like most of the administrators, said one day they're going to need you too"
The standoff ended shortly after six. Meehan says Kowalski walked out after the SWAT teams fired non-flammable gas into his home.
"We did have to escalate a little bit with deployment of gas, but that was necessary to give him that additional persuasion and it was just what he needed to come out."
Investigators did recover a revolver at Kowalski's house Monday night.
Kowalski could face as many as 110 years in prison. His bond is set at $500,000, and his arraignment is April 3rd.
A man who kept deputies at bay for more than 24-hours after shooting his girlfriend is now in custody. Robert Kowalski, 46, surrendered to Flathead County Sheriff's deputies shortly after 6 p.m. Monday.
SWAT teams began firing tear gas into Kowalski's home 5 miles east of Kalispell at around 5:30 p.m. and he walked out of the house, and was taken into custody.
Officers had surrounded the house since Sunday afternoon, just hours after receiving reports that Kowalski had apparently shot his girlfriend Lorraine Morin, 45, at her house in Creston.
SWAT teams from Flathead County, Kalispell and Missoula County had set up a perimeter around Kowalski's house, trying to talk him into surrendering.
At one point late Sunday night, Kowalski fired one shot from his handgun, but no one was injured in the standoff.
Deputies had left a portable phone on his doorstep, but Kowalski never used it, forcing officers to communicate entirely by bullhorn and shouting at the house.
Traffic along Highway 35 was being detoured around the standoff, but it's expected the road will re-open later this evening.
-Dennis Bragg Reporting for KPAX in Missoula
Officials have released the name of a woman found shot to death in her house near Columbia Falls Sunday. Flathead County authorities say the victim was Lorraine Morrin, 45.
Meantime, deputies continue to surround the home of the 46 year old Creston man suspected of shooting and killing Morrin. It all began at about 11 a.m. Sunday morning when Robert Kowalski's roommate called 911 to report a shooting.
He told authorities Kowalski told him he shot his girlfriend and was feeling suicidal. At around six p.m. they were able to make their first contact with Kowalski.
Three SWAT teams from Flathead County, Kalispell and Missoula are taking turns trying to negotiate Kowalski's surrender, and Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan says it's still too difficult to determine how long this will continue.
Meehan says Kowalski is armed with a handgun, and fired one shot just before midnight. Officers have only had intermittent contact with Kowalski, who has not picked up a portable phone left by his door last night. But Meehan says they have seen him moving inside the house as they attempt to talk with him with amplified bullhorns.
Traffic on Highway 35 is still being rerouted around the scene. Drivers should get off the highway on Montford Road and can get back on at Fairmont Road.
The woman's body has been taken to the State Crime lab in Missoula for an autopsy. She was the mother of six children ranging in age from 9 to 28.
Flathead County deputies are still in an armed standoff with a man who is believed to have shot and killed his girlfriend over the weekend. Robert Kowalski, 46, remains holed up in his home off Highway 35 just a few miles east of Kalispell, where officers first surrounded him Sunday afternoon.
Investigators say Kowalski apparently shot 45 year old Lorraine Morin at her nearby home late Sunday morning.
Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan says Morin was the mother of 6 children ranging in age from 9 to 28. None of them are related to Kowalski. Kowalski has an 18 year old son who isn't at the scene.
Three SWAT teams from Flathead County, Kalispell and Missoula are taking turns trying to negotiate Kowalski's surrender. Meehan says Kowalski is armed with a handgun, and fired off one shot just before midnight.
Officers have only had intermittent contact with Kowalski, who hasn't picked up a portable phone that was left by his door Sunday evening. But Meehan says they have seen him moving inside the house as they attempt to talk with him with amplified bullhorns.
Traffic on Highway 35 is still being re-routed around the scene and drivers should get off the highway on Montford Road and can get back on at Fairmont Road. The woman's body is being taken to the State Crime Lab in Missoula for a forensic autopsy.
Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan told us early Monday morning that officials are still working to negotiate peaceful surrender with an armed man who is suspected of shooting one woman Sunday.
The incident began at around 11:00 a.m. on Sunday when 46-year-old Robert Kowalski's roommate called 9-1-1 to report a shooting.
When the Flathead County Sheriff's Department arrived at a home on Elk Park Road south of Columbia Falls, they found one woman dead. Meanwhile, the Flathead County SWAT Team surrounded Kowalski's home off of Highway 35.
Kowalski's roommate told authorities Kowalski was threatening to kill himself and officials surrounded the home at noon on Sunday. Some six hours later they were able to make contact with Kowalski.
Traffic on Highway 35 is still being re-routed around the scene and drivers should get off the highway on Montford Road and can get back on at Fairmont Road.
Sheriff Meehan says it's still too early to say just how long this negotiation will continue, but adds that they're doing everything possible to not escalate the situation. In the meantime, Sheriff Meehan tells us they will continue to be in standoff mode.
The woman's body will be taken to the State Crime Lab in Missoula for a forensic autopsy. The victim's name has not been released.
(from March 16, 2008)
Following a 4.5 hour standoff, the suspect of a shooting that happened on Sunday near Columbia Falls is talking to negotiators.
The incident began at around 11:00 a.m. when 46 year old Robert Kowalski's roommate called 911 to report a shooting.
When the Flathead County Sheriff's Department arrived at a house on Elk Park Road south of Columbia Falls they found one woman dead.
Meanwhile, the Flathead SWAT Team surrounded Kowalski's home off of U.S. Highway 93 North and Kowalski's roommate had told authorities that Kowalski was threatening to kill himself.
Authorities then waited outside the house for hours before they made contact with Kowalski.
Due to the standoff, traffic on Highway 35 is being rerouted around the scene and drivers should get off the highway on Montford Road and can get back on at Fairmont Road.
Flathead County Sheriff Mike Meehan tells us they hope for a peaceful surrender, but adds it's too early to say just how long the negotiations will continue. He says they are doing everything possible to not escalate the situation.
Authorities say the woman's body will be taken to the State Crime Lab in Missoula for a forensic autopsy.
- Angela Monroe reporting from KAJ in Kalispell
