Missoula Woman Claims Pills Belonged to Deceased

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - On March 16, 2026, Missoula Police Department Officers were dispatched to a residence at the Alpha East Apartments on Monroe Street to assist Probation and Parole. Probation officers advised that they were conducting a probation search of a probationer. The probationer lives in the residence with his girlfriend, Vanessa Sandau.

Probation advised that they located two orange pill bottles with the labels removed, containing suspected Gabapentin, in an open satchel-type bag in the apartment’s upstairs bathroom. Probation asked Sandau whether she took prescription medication. Sandau then advised the pills were “Gabis” before clarifying that the pills were Gabapentin.

Probation officers then contacted law enforcement to further assist, and MPD officers arrived on scene. Sandau was read Miranda and agreed to speak with law enforcement. Sandau admitted the pills were Gabapentin, and she had been in possession of them for “a couple of days.” Sandau advised that she was unaware Gabapentin was a dangerous drug, but that she knew she should not be in possession of medications not prescribed to her. 

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Sandau said the pills were in her purse and did not belong to her boyfriend. Sandau advised that the pills originally belonged to an individual who had since passed away. Sandau was helping that individual’s daughter clean up his residence after he passed on. Sandau said the individual’s daughter provided her with the pills, along with other various vitamins and supplements from her father’s supply, for helping clean. According to court documents, law enforcement verified that the individual resided in a residence known for being associated with known drug offenders.  

The pills were white and imprinted with “D24.” The pills were counted, totaling 137 pills. One of these pills was field tested, which resulted in a presumptive positive for Gabapentin. Law enforcement also noted an additional tan colored pill imprinted with “IP 102” amongst the other white pills. Gabapentin is a dangerous drug under Schedule V in the Montana Code Annotated. 

READ MORE: Missoula News – Crime Reports 

Sandau was arrested and transported to the Missoula County Detention Facility. She is currently being charged with felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs. 

The information in this article was obtained from sources that are publicly viewable.