Homicide charged dismissed, Troy man shot daughter

LIBBY — A 75-year-old Troy man has been found unfit to stand trial in his daughter’s shooting death.

A Lincoln County judge has dismissed a charge of deliberate homicide against James Bonifas in the Jan. 6 death of 41-year-old Suzanne Campbell. Court records indicate Bonifas and Campbell had been discussing who should be cashing his checks.

Deputy County Attorney Robert Slomski moved to dismiss the charge on July 9 after a mental health evaluation found Bonifas suffers from dementia that makes him unable to assist in his defense. Slomski’s motion allows the charge to be refiled if Bonifas regains competency, but the evaluation by psychiatrists at the Montana State Hospital indicates that is unlikely.

The Western News reports Bonifas was committed to the state hospital at Warm Springs.