Attorney General’s Office charges Hobson couple with deliberate homicide

HELENA – The Montana Attorney General’s Office charged two people today following the shooting death of a Hobson man that occurred earlier this month, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today.

Tyson David Kolar, 40, and Megan Michelle Fiechtner, 33, both residents of Hobson, were charged with deliberate homicide with a firearm in the murder of her 35-year-old husband, Matthew Fiechtner of Hobson. The Fiechtners were in the process of a divorce.

Megan Fiechtner called Central Montana Dispatch on October 2 to report that after arriving for a prearranged visit with her children, she had found blood on the steps and door of Matthew Fiechtner’s residence and did not know where he was. When deputies from the Judith Basin Sheriff’s Office arrived, they found him face down in the hallway of the home with multiple gunshot wounds.

Kolar initially told law enforcement that he did not know anything about Matthew Fiechtner’s death and denied shooting him. Later, he admitted he shot him but said it was in self-defense, saying that the victim started to assault him.

Megan Fiechtner also initially said she was not present when her husband was killed. However, in a follow-up interview admitted she was present and there had been no physical altercation or assault, but that Matthew Fiechtner had put his hands behind his back and that Kolar shot him because he thought he was reaching for a weapon.

The investigation, which included the examination of video surveillance and interviews of both defendants and witnesses, revealed that Kolar, armed with a revolver, aimed the weapon at Matthew Fiechtner, who, in a gesture of surrender, raised his hands before being shot. Kolar shot a second time as his victim turned to run toward his house. Then, Megan Fiechtner reported that she heard a third shot after Kolar is seen on surveillance footage calmly walking after Matthew Fiechtner.

She told investigators there was no threat to her or Kolar and no self-defense situation. Despite being a registered nurse, Megan Fiechtner offered no aid to her husband after he was shot and waited for 20 minutes after the shooting to call 911.

The Fiechtner’s 2-year-old daughter was present at the time of the shooting, and their 6-year-old son arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting. The investigation also revealed that Megan Fiechtner had received news that day that her parenting plan had been rejected.

If convicted, Megan Fiechtner and Kolar could each be sentenced to life in prison, along with a possible fine of up to $50,000. A bond of $5 million has been issued for both defendants.

The prosecution of this case is led by Assistant Attorney General Daniel Guzynski, alongside Judith Basin County Attorney Joni Oja. The investigation was conducted by the Judith Basin Sheriff’s Office and the Montana Department of Justice’s Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science divisions. To read the charging documents, click here and here.