Bigfork Man Charged with Deliberate Homicide and Attempted Deliberate Homicide in Lake County Shooting

A 49-year-old man from Bigfork, Montana, has been charged with deliberate homicide and attempted deliberate homicide following a shooting incident on December 10th in Ferndale. The shooting resulted in the death of a woman and left two others injured. Matthew Thomas Vitek is currently being held in the Lake County Jail on a $3 million bond.

The incident was reported to Lake County dispatchers after 9 p.m. on December 10th, with multiple calls coming in regarding a shooting on Cayuse Lane in Ferndale. Law enforcement officers from the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and Lake County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

Upon arriving at the residence, which also operated as a pet grooming business and an automotive shop, deputies discovered a woman on the ground with a fatal gunshot wound to her head. Another male victim, identified as Jeffrey Kislewski, the fire chief of the Ferndale Volunteer Fire Department, was found with a gunshot wound to the chest.

While authorities were at the scene, they heard gunshots coming from within the automotive shop. They announced their presence and entered the area, where they discovered the shooter, later identified as Matthew Thomas Vitek. Vitek threw the gun on the ground and was subsequently taken into custody.

During the investigation, law enforcement located a third victim, Heather Kislewski, with a gunshot wound to the chest. All three victims were transported to Logan Health in Kalispell, where the woman, identified as 56-year-old Tammi Jordan, was pronounced dead. A pathologist at the Montana State Crime Lab determined her death to be a homicide.

Video surveillance footage captured the entire incident, including heated exchanges between Vitek and the victims. The footage showed Jordan pleading for help and stating that Vitek was “crazy.” Vitek responded by making threatening statements before shooting Jeffrey and Heather Kislewski in the chest. He then turned towards Jordan and shot her in the head. The footage also captured Vitek stomping on the victims’ heads after the shooting.

Matthew Thomas Vitek is currently in custody at the Lake County Jail awaiting an arraignment hearing scheduled for December 28th before Lake County District Court Judge Deborah Kim Christopher.

Following the tragic incident, GoFundMe accounts have been set up to support the deceased victim’s family and the surviving victims. The incident has been described as a case of domestic violence.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, the Abbie Shelter operates a 24-hour crisis helpline at (406) 752-7273. Additional information can be found at www.abbieshelter.org.