Blood Trails (MeatEater)

Ep. 2: A Monster Among Us, Part 1

Host: Jordan Sillars
Original release: November 6, 2025

Overview

This chilling episode of Blood Trails investigates the 1996 rape and murder of 15-year-old Danielle (Dani) Houchens in rural Montana, a cold case that remained unsolved for nearly three decades. Through gripping interviews, original reporting, and audio from detectives, host Jordan Sillars unfolds how the surprising figure of Paul Hutchinson—a respected outdoorsman, U.S. Bureau of Land Management fisheries biologist, and family man—was identified as her killer using cutting-edge forensic genetics. The episode explores the trauma and failures in the original investigation, the breakthrough brought by family persistence and new technology, and the shocking final moments as justice caught up with a man who managed to hide his monstrous act for almost 30 years.

Major Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dual Nature of Paul Hutchinson (03:27–05:33)

• Relatives, colleagues, and hunting buddies describe Paul as “just a pretty normal dude,” albeit quirky and a bit arrogant.
  • “We thought he was a kind of quirky guy, but he was ex-military and had a fisheries biologist, wildlife biologist background.” — Paul Hutchinson, hunting partner (03:32)
• His outward life: respected government employee, family man, obsessed with turkey hunting, with aspirations of tagging birds in all 49 states where they live.
  • Paul’s own voice, calling to turkeys from his truck: “They’re so stupid.” (05:16)
• Public shock after his unmasking: How could an apparently normal outdoorsman be a murderer?

2. The Disappearance and Immediate Aftermath (07:27–13:15)

• On September 21, 1996, 15-year-old Danielle "Dani" Houchens left home to clear her head after an argument, heading for the nearby Cameron Bridge fishing access on the Gallatin River.
• Stephanie Houchens, Dani’s younger sister, paints a portrait of Dani as smart, sarcastic, tough, cool, and a mentor figure.
  • “She was my hero… she had this really dry sense of humor and sarcasm… that hilarious, snarky, sassy, angsty 15-year-old girl.” — Stephanie (08:21)
• Discovery: Dani’s truck, keys, and water bottle are found but not Dani; the family's frantic search ensues. Two family friends eventually spot her body in a marsh by following overlooked clues.

3. Crime Scene Controversies and Early Investigation Failures (13:15–18:09)

• Shocking crime scene: body face down in muddy water, signs of sexual violence and manual drowning—yet coroner lists cause of death as “undetermined,” not homicide.
• Police initially suggest accidental drowning, not murder.
  • “It never made sense what law enforcement was saying to us.” — Stephanie Houchens (14:50)
• Critical evidence overlooked or minimized: bruising, evidence of struggle, foreign hairs, and semen are not acted on with urgency.

4. The Toll on the Family and Stalled Justice (17:06–19:19)

• The failure to classify Dani’s death as homicide prevents proper investigation, entry into cold case databases, and perpetuates trauma.
  • “The failure in 1996 set up, in my opinion, a culture of not taking her case seriously.” — Stephanie (17:46)
• For years, the case languished despite efforts by some determined detectives.

5. Breakthroughs: Persistence Meets Technology (19:19–27:27)

• Stephanie launches a five-year campaign to reopen the case, culminating in collaboration with Sergeant Matt Boxmeyer and retired LAPD captain Tom Elfmont.
• Tom reviews old evidence, tracks down misplaced key exhibits (Dani’s underwear with semen), and pushes for advanced genetic testing at Astrea Forensics—one of the first U.S. labs able to extract DNA from an old hair sample.
  • “With the third and fourth hairs… on the fourth hair, they got a lot of DNA. It was only the seventh case in the United States involving a hair and DNA that was solved.” — Tom Elfmont (25:01)
• With help from “DNA detective” CeCe Moore, genetic genealogy narrows the suspect pool to two brothers and a cousin from New Hampshire—one of whom, Paul Hutchinson, had moved to Montana just before Dani’s murder.

6. The Undercover Interview (30:53–44:58)

• Under pretense of a fisheries-related inquiry, Tom Elfmont and Sergeant Court Dupuig interview Hutchinson in person at his BLM office, seeking admissions.
  • “I really wanted him to either lie to us or tell us things about where he was…” — Tom Elfmont (31:42)
• Initial small talk about his educational background and history in the region soon pivots toward the murder, with careful, indirect questioning.
  • Notable exchange:
    • Sgt. Dupuig: “Have you ever heard of the Cameron Bridge access? Have you been there before?” (38:30)
    • Paul Hutchinson: “Probably Jackrabbit Lane.” (38:38)
• As questions zero in on the night of the murder, Hutchinson becomes visibly agitated and evasive—profuse sweating and repeated room exits.
  • “He admitted going out, having trap lines out there, which would have put him in the woods… He put himself there, which was a big deal.” — Tom Elfmont (39:30)
• When shown Dani’s photo and asked if he recognizes her: “I honestly don’t. I… What’s the last name? …Does she have an older brother?” — Hutchinson (43:10)
• As the session closes, Hutchinson fails to provide an alibi or any meaningful denial, and investigators note suspicious behaviors (e.g., opening his phone’s OnX app possibly to erase sensitive data).

7. Sudden, Tragic Finale (45:11–46:34)

• The next morning, before police could act further, Hutchinson dies by suicide, calling 911 with “officer needs assist” before taking his own life.
  • “Just a day after their initial interview with Paul Hutchinson… Paul Hutchinson had died by suicide.” — Stephanie (45:57)
• Follow-up DNA analysis confirms, to a mathematical certainty (10.7 trillion to 1), that the DNA found on Dani was Hutchinson's.
  • “They turned it around really quickly and told us it was 10.7 trillion to 1…” — Tom Elfmont (46:18)
• Stephanie Houchens expresses fury and disappointment at losing the chance for a public reckoning:
  • “My first thought was, ‘You fucking coward.’ … I was looking forward to staring his ass down in court… and he totally robbed that from me.” — Stephanie (46:41)

8. Reflections and Unanswered Questions (49:06–51:35)

• Sergeant Dupuig’s closing interrogation technique is poignant, trying to evoke empathy from a father suspected of robbing another family of a daughter.
  • Sgt. Dupuig: “You know, you have a girl who’s—who, you know, I’ll use an old school term—innocent, right? And then somebody takes that innocence away and then murders her. I mean, as a dad, I mean, how would you feel? … I want to know what man did that to my little girl.” (49:34-49:54)
• Investigation concludes with Hutchinson’s suicide, but further questions linger:
  • Was Dani his only victim? Did his decades of solitary hunting trips provide opportunity for other crimes?
  • How do communities reconcile with the possibility of “monsters among us,” hiding in plain sight?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote/Description | |-----------|---------|-------------------| | 03:32 | Paul’s hunting partner | “We thought he was a kind of quirky guy, but he was ex-military and had a fisheries biologist, wildlife biologist background.” | | 08:21 | Stephanie Houchens | “She was my hero… that hilarious, snarky, sassy, angsty 15-year-old girl.” | | 14:50 | Stephanie Houchens | “It never made sense what law enforcement was saying to us.” | | 17:46 | Stephanie Houchens | “The failure in 1996 set up, in my opinion, a culture of not taking her case seriously in the sheriff’s office.” | | 25:01 | Tom Elfmont | “It was only the seventh case in the United States involving a hair and DNA that was solved.” | | 31:42 | Tom Elfmont | “I really wanted him to either lie to us or tell us things about where he was…” | | 38:04 | Tom Elfmont | “He was profusely sweating. Clearly, he was unbelievable agitated.” | | 46:41 | Stephanie Houchens | “My first thought was, you fucking coward... he totally robbed that from me.” | | 50:46 | Sgt. Dupuig | “My daughter... was probably screaming his name, you know, asking for dad’s help. All she wanted to probably do was go home to dad, you know, screaming for her dad to save her. He couldn’t be there...” |

Key Segment Timestamps

• 03:27–05:33 | Outward life and community impressions of Paul Hutchinson
• 07:27–13:15 | Dani’s disappearance, family search, and discovery
• 13:15–18:09 | Crime scene details, coroner controversy, and stalled case
• 19:19–27:27 | Family advocacy, new investigators, forensic breakthroughs
• 30:53–44:58 | Investigators' interview with Hutchinson: tactics, responses, and mounting tension
• 45:11–46:34 | Hutchinson’s suicide and DNA confirmation
• 49:06–50:46 | Emotional closing reflections: justice, family, and unresolved trauma

Tone and Style

Jordan Sillars maintains a sober, investigative tone, weaving emotional testimony and technical details without sensationalism. The episode is marked by empathy for the victim’s family, a focus on methodical police work, and a haunting undercurrent as “ordinary” outdoor culture is juxtaposed with the capacity for human darkness. Testimony from both family and detectives is frank and often raw, particularly in passages where Stephanie vents her grief and anger.

Takeaway

This episode of Blood Trails reveals a decades-old Montana murder case broken open by persistence, new forensic science, and the courage of a victim’s family. It starkly illustrates how the “monsters among us” may hide behind the most innocuous of facades, the profound impact of law enforcement failures on victims' families, and the cold comfort—and further questions—left in the wake of delayed justice. The episode closes with the assurance that the story isn’t over: Was Paul Hutchinson a rare one-time killer, or are there more tragedies scattered along his blood trails?