Town Crier
Life sentence served for West Yellowstone homicide
Briefs from the Region—Aug. 23, 2023
In a case that shook the community of West Yellowstone, a family finally gets some form of closure. On Aug. 22, Patricia Batts was sentenced to life in prison three years after killing her 12-year-old grandson, James “Alex” Hurley, who was found dead from blunt force trauma in his home. Evidence from the trail revealed systematic abuse, a case Gallatin County District Court Judge John Brown said was one of the most “horrific” he’s seen, as reported by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
In addition to life, Judge Brown also gave Batts two 10-year sentences for criminal child endangerment and tampering with witnesses or informants. She will serve her time at the Montana State Women’s Prison.
