Man convicted in 1979 murder case up for parole

A man convicted of murdering his wife nearly four decades ago will have a parole hearing later this month.

Jerry Forsyth, 71, was convicted in 1986 of killing his wife, Karen (Kienas) Forsyth, on Dec. 12, 1979 because he was having an affair and wanted to retain her share in the bowling alley they ran together in Kalispell.

Forsyth was sentenced to 110 years in state prison for the crime. He was been up for parole three times, in 2002, 2007 and 2012. His upcoming parole hearing will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, May 23.

Sharon Snell, the sister of the victim, has worked to keep Forsyth in the Montana State Prison since his first parole hearing in 2002. Snell said she will continue to oppose his release.

“I owe it to my parents and my sister to see he doesn’t get out of prison and hurt any more people,” Snell said. “He hasn’t even served a third of his sentence. He needs to stay where he is — in prison. And my family is still afraid of him.”

Snell is asking those who know about the case or learn about it to write letters opposing Forsyth’s parole.

Snell is concerned that as time passes and her family members who have passed on, there won’t be as much attention to the case.

“Many family members have passed away and I’m concerned about him getting out and coming after those of us who are still here,” Snell said.

Flathead County District Attorney Ed Corrigan is planning on being at Forsyth’s hearing.

“I will be there mainly to support Sharon Snell and her family,” Corrigan said. “The crime he committed was heinous, brutal and it warranted 100 years in prison and he should serve that.”

Corrigan explained that Forsyth won’t be in the same room with the victims. With audio/visual technology, Forysth will give his statement and then Corrigan and the family of Karen Forsyth will address the board.

Karen Forsyth was 31 years old when she was shot and killed by Forsyth at their business, the Skyline Bowling Alley.

Forysth and his friend Douglas Richards planned the murder, according to law enforcement officials.

Richards and Forsyth told a story that the three of them were closing the bowling alley for the night when someone came through the door and knocked out Forsyth. Richards said he was in the basement and heard a popping sound before finding Forsyth unconscious and his wife dead.

Richards was later arrested for having sex with a girl under 16. He was offered immunity in the homicide case and recanted his original statement to police.

Richards said he offered to kill Karen Forsyth for between $40,000 and $50,000. He tried to drug her at Forsyth’s request, but she survived.

Richards then suggested staging a robbery at the bowling alley. He told police Forysth shot his wife in the head with a .22-caliber gun and put her fingerprints on a 9mm pistol he left by her side.

Richards said he hid the murder weapon and money from the counter in a basement locker to bolster the lie about the robbery.

Forsyth’s first trial ended in his conviction in April 1980 but it was overturned by the state Supreme Court because Flathead District Judge Robert Sykes didn’t define homicide for the jury.

Forsyth’s second trial ended in a hung jury in December 1982. Jurors in that trial, held in Polson because of publicity issues, said the bailiff made several prejudicial comments.

Forsyth was convicted in his third trial in December 1985.

Comments for the Montana State Board of Pardons and Parole can be mailed to 1002 Hollenbeck Road, Deer Lodge, MT 59722.

Reporter Scott Shindledecker may be reached at 758-4441 or sshindledecker@dailyinterlake.com.