BILLINGS — A jury found 31-year-old Jacob Troxell of Billings guilty in the shooting death of 29-year-old Michael Duran on Monday, Jan. 13.
“I was thankful for justice to be served,” said Ashley Woodward, Michael Duran’s girlfriend at the time.
Yellowstone County District Judge Jessica Fehr read the verdict.
“We the jury, duly impaneled and sworn to try the issues in the above entitled cause, enter the following unanimous verdict to the charge of deliberate homicide with a weapon enhancement, guilty,” Fehr read as Troxel stood and listened. “To the allegation that in committing the above offense, the defendant used a firearm, we unanimously find by proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did use a firearm in the commission of the offense.”
“The grief feels fresh," Woodward said. "He's still gone and so I'm glad that somebody who's able to do something that violent and horrific is not on the streets anymore. I'm thankful for that.”
Duran’s family was also in the courtroom and responded to the verdict after the jury deliberated for a little more than five hours.
“I think our logical brain is grateful for the video because had that been a block different, we'd be in a completely different situation," Michael's sister Jessica Duran said about the location of the camera.
The incident was caught on a KTVQ security camera aimed at 4th Avenue North and North 32nd Street, on Aug. 20, 2022. It began with a road rage incident between Troxel and Duran before escalating to violence that ended Duran's life.
Prosecutors suggested that Troxel's actions were unprovoked and unnecessary.
Following the verdict, Troxel's defense attorneys say it's important to look at the entirety of the video, saying he feared for his life and his actions were justified.
“There is a clear break in the fight that occurred,” said Sara Kottke, Tnoxel’s defense attorney. “Jacob clearly disengaged.”
The jury and Duran's family looked at the video differently.
“How many times did he have to get assaulted before he was able to actually defend himself, and that's what I think the jury understood,” Anthony Duran, Michhael’s brother said. “And they came to the correct verdict, I believe.”
After nearly 2½ years, a coroner's inquest and a trial, they finally have justice.
“When you see someone walk out of the room in handcuffs, you're like, OK, someone is being held accountable for this, “ said Jessica Duran. “And I think more than anything for our family, we feel so supported by the community of Billings.”
“The most difficult thing for me I guess was hearing some of the things that I knew were not true about Michael because of the heart that he was,” said Sara Mack, a family friend. “And I'm sending my love to his mother who's still out in LA right now.”
Troxel's family was also in the courtroom for the trial.
“They're upset,” said Natasha Fernando, who also represented Troxel and works with Kottke at the Alpine Law Firm. “They're in shock, and that's to be expected. I think they're going to be processing this over the next few days, weeks, months.”
“There were two families who have been ruined now,” said Kottke.
“He was a really incredible man,” Woodward said. “And I think anybody that met him and knew him, knew that.”
