Accused wife killer free on bail

An accused wife killer has gained his freedom.

Bradley Jay Hillious, 35, was released from the Flathead County Detention Center Monday after posting $100,000 bail, according to the jail roster.

Hillious is facing one charge of deliberate homicide. Flathead County Sheriff's Office investigators allege Hillious beat and strangled his wife, Amanda, before throwing her down a flight of stairs during a fight inside their home on Dec. 15, 2020. Amanda Hillious, a mother of four, died four days later. On Dec. 22, a Montana State Crime Lab pathologist determined Amanda died of blunt force injuries associated with neck compression.

Hillious’ bail was originally set at $750,000, then reduced to $500,000 on Jan. 7.

At a bail reduction hearing on Nov. 2, Hillious’ attorney, Jami Rebsom, argued for his bail to be reduced so he could be free to assist in his defense as well as possibly earn money to help pay for the costs associated with his case.

Flathead County District Court Judge Robert Allison agreed to reduce Hillious’ bail to $100,000 on Nov. 8.

In his order, Allison wrote that a number of factors led to his decision to decrease bail, including Hillious’ lack of a criminal record, that he has family ties in Flathead County, owns a home here and that despite being told he was a suspect in the murder on Dec. 15, he didn’t flee before his arrest on Dec. 24.

Allison also wrote that he believed the $100,000 bail is enough to ensure Hillious will appear for his jury trial, which is set to begin Jan. 3, 2022.

Rebsom filed a court document Nov. 15 indicating Hillious’ physical residence would be at 710 East Lewis St., Livingston, Montana, and if the court needed to contact him, he could be reached at her office in Livingston.

Rebsom has filed several motions in the case, including an argument for the charge to be dismissed due to lack of due process, arguing media coverage of the case and social media posts would make it impossible for him to receive a fair trial, and to suppress statements he made because they were a violation of his right against self-incrimination and his right to counsel.

Allison denied those motions.

REBSOM ALSO has argued that Amanda Hillious’ injuries were not caused by Brad, but rather by an emergency medical technician who improperly used a device to aid in resuscitation efforts.

The technician, identified in court documents as William Henley Warricks, is an admitted rapist who pleaded guilty to sexual intercourse without consent on Sept. 9, 2021. Warricks, in the plea deal, admitted to having sex with a girl under the age of 16 on numerous occasions. His plea deal calls for a 20-year sentence in the Montana State Prison.

Rebsom has pushed for medical records dealing with Amanda’s treatment by Warricks because she contends “there is medical negligence or malpractice of the treatment of his wife.”

On Oct. 25, Allison ordered the release of the records so he could review them in order to determine if the records will be admitted for use in the case. He determined the records had no basis in determining criminal conduct committed by Warricks constituted exculpatory evidence in Hillious’ case.

AN INVESTIGATION by sheriff's deputies began Dec. 15 when they answered a 911 call. When deputies arrived, Bradley Hillious' father, Scott, directed them inside the home where Amanda was lying on the floor.

Bradley Hillious reportedly was attempting to render aid to her. He said he heard someone scream, came out of his room and saw her lying at the bottom of the stairs, according to the court document.

Amanda Hillious was taken to the hospital. When detectives spoke to the emergency room physician, he said she had several injuries, including a cut on her head, a lacerated liver and broken ribs.

Detectives spoke to Bradley Hillious, who said that after hearing the scream, he got dressed and saw his wife at the bottom of the stairs. He said he took his 3-year-old daughter into his bedroom and turned on a tablet for her because he "didn't want her to see whatever was down there."

He said he began performing CPR on his wife. He also allegedly said he and Amanda had marital problems earlier in April and May, but they decided to reconcile. He said they hadn't had any problems since their decision to get back together.

Other court documents indicate Amanda Hillious requested a protection order on April 17 against Bradley and Scott, her father-in-law. The order was granted April 27 and dismissed May 7 when both Bradley and Amanda agreed to reconcile.

Another court document indicated Bradley Hillious filed for divorce April 21, but the matter was dropped in May when the protection order was dismissed.

ON DEC. 17, forensic interviews were conducted with two of Amanda Hillious' children.

One of her sons said she woke him Dec. 15 to get ready for school. He said he was eating breakfast and could hear his mother and father arguing in their bedroom. He said his father dragged his mother off the couch and hit her with an open hand and a closed fist. The boy said his father told him to go to his room and the boy said he heard his father take his mother downstairs.

The boy also said he heard his mother tell his father to stop hitting her and he heard her scream, "Call 911." He also said he heard her coming up the steps, but then it sounded as if she had fallen.

Another one of Amanda's sons said he heard his mother scream, "Stop, Brad."

According to the charging document, on Dec. 24, a detective called Bradley Hillious and asked if he and his father could come in for an interview. Hillious allegedly said he wanted to speak with a lawyer and would call back later.

Later that day, Bradley Hillious called 911 and reported his father, Scott, had killed himself.

At Hillious' arraignment where he pleaded not guilty, Rebsom said, "There's a more likely suspect in this case."

She said she was referring to Scott Hillious as being a possible suspect in the case.

Brad Hillious faces a maximum term of 100 years in the Montana State Prison.

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