Missoula Police say Stabbing Death May Have Been Self-Defense

UPDATE- January 3, 2020 2:15 p.m.

The Missoula County Sheriff's Office have identified the the man who died of stab wounds earlier this week as 18 year-old Benjamin Mousso from the Hamilton area.

Police say they haven't made any arrests in a fatal stabbing in Missoula after the suspect made a self-defense claim.

UPDATE---January 2, 2020  6:00 p.m.

Missoula Police Department Public Information Officer Travis Welsh issued a press release on Thursday afternoon indicating that the homicide investigation has revealed that self-defense may have been a motive in the incident.

The press release follows here;

'At this point in the ongoing Homicide Investigation, all parties have been identified, located and interviewed. No arrests have been made due to our statutory obligation to investigate claims of self-defense, as alleged in this case. Upon completion, the investigation will be referred to the Missoula County Attorney’s Office to determine if probable cause exists to charge any or all individuals involved in this tragic incident.'

The Missoula Police Department provided the following press release:

On January 1, 2020 at about 11:30 PM Missoula Police Officers responded to the 2000 block of South Ave. W. for the report of a male that had been stabbed. Upon their arrival, they located an 18-year-old Missoula Man suffering from multiple stab wounds. The officers immediately began life-saving measures before the victim was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. An investigation is currently underway and we are following several leads in an effort to locate the suspect. If you have any information to aid in this investigation, please contact MPD Det. Guy Baker at (406) 396- 3217.

KGVO will update this story when more information becomes available.

Update:

The investigation has now revealed that the victim is a resident from Ravalli County.