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Two men found shot dead at scene of Billings crash identified

Joshua D. LaFGorge and Dante J. Bezpaletz
2 men found dead in Billings with gunshot wounds
2 men found dead in Billings with gunshot wounds
Posted at 2:28 PM, Jan 27, 2022
and last updated 2022-01-27 21:42:14-05

BILLINGS — The names of two men who were found shot dead at the scene of a vehicle crash in Billings were released Thursday.

Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder identified the men as Joshua D. LaFGorge, 34 years old, and Dante J. Bezpaletz, 30; both were from Billings.

Both men died of gunshot wounds, Linder said.

The bodies of the men were found Tuesday by Billings police officers who responded to the scene of a crash on South 37th Street at about 3 a.m.

A pickup truck had slammed into a tree, and a third man was found at the scene suffering from severe trauma to the neck, police said.

The name of the third man and his condition have not been released, and police continue to investigate the circumstances of the deaths.

So far, investigators have said only that they believe a "disturbance" occurred inside the truck prior to the crash.