MT:Shooting of Son in Law Ruled Justified

In addition to Cody and Olbekson, at least one other person witnessed the shooting. One of Cody’s children, in his bedroom inside the house at the time, reported hearing Roloff screaming at Cody prior to the shooting.


Further evidence indicated the shooting took place on the porch and that the gunshot wound was made from very close range, if not in actual contact with Roloff’s body.


“That is consistent with Roloff lunging at Olbekson as Olbekson and Cody stated and consistent with his being on the porch, where Olbekson and Cody said he was shot and blood spatter evidence was located,” Cassidy wrote.


In the end, Cassidy’s decision is that Lois Olbekson was justified in shooting and killing Michael Roloff under Montana’s self-defense rules.