Murder Investigation

Suspect in double homicide expected to be in court Wednesday

Posted: Jan 31, 2012 9:18 AM by Angela Douglas - Q2 News
Updated: Jan 31, 2012 1:20 PM

Double Homicide Investigation: BPD Chief St. John interview

BILLINGS - A Billings man is in custody after two women were found dead in an apartment early Sunday morning.

Andrew Denning, 20, has been charged with two counts of deliberate homicide. He is accused of killing two sisters, ages 21 and 22.

Denning is expected to make his first appearance before a judge Wednesday.

Denning was arrested at 1 a.m. Monday. Lt. Kevin Iffland says the double homicide suspect was located at his home in Billings, taken to the police station for questioning, and then arrested.

A motive is still unknown, but according to Chief Rich St. John they believe the suspect was only an acquaintance of the victims.

Officers were called to the Ponderosa Acres Apartments late Sunday morning to conduct a welfare check after one of the residents did not show up to work or return phone calls.

An apartment manager let officers into the apartment, where police discovered the bodies.

The investigation is still in its early stages, but Chief St. John emphasizes the significance of detectives locating the suspect so quickly.

"It's a very, very heinous crime scene and there's a lot of work to do on the front end, but I think it is absolutely incredible that our detectives were able to go from a double homicide with no suspects to an arrest within 13 hours," says Chief St. John. "That doesn't minimize the fact that we have a very tragic event here. We're just glad that we can hopefully bring some closure to it."

The Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office is conducting autopsies on the two women.

Their names are being withheld pending family notification.

Lt. Iffland says Denning has no criminal record.