ANACONDA, Mont. — Michael Paul Brown's case remains at a standstill as attorneys on both sides work to obtain his military records from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
WATCH: Michael Brown's recent status hearing
Brown faces four counts of deliberate homicide, along with charges of attempted arson, theft, and fleeing from officers, after he allegedly entered the Owl Bar in Anaconda on the morning of Aug. 1, 2025, and shot and killed David Leach, Daniel Baillie, Tony Plam and bartender Nancy Kelly. He then led hundreds of federal, state and local authorities on a week-long manhunt.
Brown has had several status hearings over the past 13 months for mental health evaluations to check his fitness to proceed with trial. At the latest hearing, both the prosecution and defense requested more time to obtain Brown's military records from the VA.
Anaconda Deer Lodge County Prosecutor Morgan Smith said the process has been difficult for both sides.
"Both the state hospital, as well as counsel for the state, and counsel for the defendant have been working to obtain records. We both have had difficulty obtaining records through the VA. We believe we have near-complete records at this point," Smith said.
Brown's attorney told the judge that without the military records from the VA, the two parties are at a standstill. Judge Jeffery Da Hood honored the request and set another status hearing for late October.
Brown served from 2001 to 2005 as an armor crewman and deployed to Iraq in 2004. He served in the Montana National Guard from 2006 to 2009 and left the military as a sergeant.
The delay was hard to hear for friends of Nancy Kelly who gathered to see justice for their friend, including Mary Garcia, who traveled from Yuma, Arizona, to attend the hearing.
"All of the sudden, they can't find Army records? It's just ridiculous. Another year will go by... we'll mourn her again Aug. 1 every year for how many more years?" Garcia said.
Garcia stood outside the courthouse with Owl Bar owner David Gwerder and other friends of Kelly, calling on the public to keep the victims in mind.
"People should not forget. So that another person just go down the road and shoot another bartender, bar owner? And just go on and on... everybody's gonna forget what happened here? They should not forget," Garcia said.
Garcia said justice is owed to all of those killed that day.
"We need justice for not Nancy only, but for all of 'em. All the victims," Garcia said.
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