30-hour Livingston standoff ends in shootout

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (2) – 2/4/21

From the afternoon of Feb. 2 through the night of Feb. 3, 40 residents in the View Vista Community mobile home park in Livingston remained under lockdown due to a standoff. Resident Michael Marfuta, 49, barricaded himself in his trailer for 30 hours when around 10 p.m. he emerged and shot at the officers outside. None were hit and they shot back, injuring Marfuta and leading to his surrender. Park County Sheriff Brad Bichler told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle that Marfuta’s injuries were non-life-threatening and he was taken to the Livingston Hospital to be treated. The standoff was a result of tensions that began in September, when View Vista Community Inc., filed a civil lawsuit against Marfuta for refusing to sign a lease after the nonprofit acquired the property where his trailer resided. Marfuta was behind on rent and had been served several notices—he had also served as the park’s maintenance worker for the last decade. According to emails sent to View Vista’s attorney, Marfuta felt as though his livelihood had been taken from him after the park had changed ownership.