Montana is a beautiful, peaceful, and largely safe place to live. But just like anywhere else, our state does have a pretty sinister history. If you were born and raised in the Treasure State, you probably learned about things like the Smith Mine Disaster. But have you ever heard of the Missoula Mauler?

No matter how you might feel about the city of Missoula, no one can deny that it's an absolutely beautiful - and largely peaceful - city.
Micah Sheldon / Flickr
Missoula's most recent crime rate is 448.18 per 100,000, which is considered to be quite low on a national level.
But in the 1970s and 80s, some rather horrifying crimes occurred in the Garden City.
Danny Smitherman / Flickr
Some kidnappings and murders took place in Missoula and Ravalli Counties that were believed to be the work of Wayne Nance.

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Wayne Nance, who was a born and raised Montanan, was suspected of a few horrifying crimes.
John krizan / Flickr
It all started in 1974, when Donna Pounds' body was found. Pounds was a victim of rape and murder, and Nance was strongly suspected. He was seen in Pounds' backyard the day of her death, and he was apparently friends with her teenage children. While evidence was found many years later tying Nance to the crime, at the time, nothing was found that warranted an arrest.
A decade later, the bodies of three women were discovered in the Missoula area. While there was no solid evidence tying Nance to the crime, he was strongly suspected.
karendesuyo / Flickr
Then, in 1985, Nance allegedly broke into a couple's home in Ravalli County and murdered them both before setting fire to the house.
Nance's reign of terror came to an end in 1986 when he broke into the home of Kris and Doug Wells in Missoula. Nance had once worked for Doug Wells as a furniture delivery driver.
Juan-Calderon / Flickr
Nance terrorized the couple and stabbed Doug. Fortunately, Doug survived his wounds and shot Nance to death before he could do more harm. Unfortunately, Nance was never formally charged with a crime... but it seems he did end up paying the ultimate price.

Have you ever heard the story of the Missoula Mauler?

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