KALISPELL — Timothy Moore of Libby has been sentenced after his 3-year-old son died from a gunshot wound in their Lincoln County home last year.
Moore was sentenced to 20 years in the Montana State Prison with five of the years suspended.
Moore was charged with one count of negligent homicide. Charges for endangering the welfare of a child, possession of dangerous drugs, and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia were dropped under a plea deal with Lincoln County.
Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short says when first responders were called to the home on May 27, 2025, they were told the child had accidentally been shot in the face.
The child was treated at the scene and then taken to Cabinet Peaks Medical Center, where Short says the child later died.
According to court documents, when a Lincoln County Sheriff's deputy arrived on the scene, he found Moore outside sitting in the road.
The deputy said Moore appeared to be in an "altered mental state." The deputy asked Moore if he was involved, and Moore asked the deputy to shoot him.
Moore told the deputy that he set his firearm on the couch and went outside to smoke. Moore said as he was standing outside, he heard a popping sound.
He told the deputy he ran back inside and found his child holding the firearm with an apparent gunshot wound to the head.
Court documents says that the deputy saw a .22 caliber handgun in Moore's pants pocket.
When Moore was being arrested, a detective observed "track" marks on his arm consistent with intravenous drug use.
Moore also had two magazines for a .22 caliber handgun in his pants pocket.
While a detective was working to secure the scene, a woman who also lives at the residence asked for keys to her vehicle and her prescription medication.
The detective found a clear glass pipe laying at the top of the stairs. The pipe appeared to be consistent with drug paraphernalia used to smoke illegal narcotics, per court documents.
When the detective went inside the home, he found the woman's medication and found a multi-color silicone container with a crystal-like substance in it. The substance appeared consistent with illegal narcotics such as methamphetamine.
Moore was then arrested and taken to the county jail.
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