2 Billings bail bondsmen charged in connection with Missoula fatal shooting
Mar 09, 2026
Authorities have charged the two Billings bail bondsmen arrested in connection the shooting death of a Billings fugitive in Missoula last week.Brandon Tyler Wakefield was charged with deliberate homicide and assault with a weapo
n and is being held in Missoula County Detention Center on a $1 million bond. His first court hearing has not been scheduled.Austin Michael Mistretta is facing an assault with a weapon charge. He was released from jail on bond, and his first court appearance is scheduled for March 16.The Missoula Police Department was called to the Town Pump on Reserve Street after receiving reports of shots being fired.On scene, four armed males were wearing tactical gear. Three were standing while the fourth was performing CPR on the shooting victim, identified by court documents as Joshua Wykle, according to an affidavit in charging documents filed by Missoula County Deputy Attorney Brittany Williams.A Missoula police lieutenant determined that they were bail bondsmen who had traveled to Missoula from Billings to apprehend Wykle, an alleged fugitive also from Billings.A Missoula police officer identified the man performing CPR as the shooter, Wakefield. It was noted by police that Wakefield had a patch on his tactical vest stating, Fugitive Recovery Agent".Documents state, according to video from a nearby casino, Wykle was in gray sweats and a black hooded jacket. He crossed the parking lot of the Town Pump to get into a white Saturn.Approximately 10 seconds after the Saturn turns on, the video shows a Honda Pilot pulling behind the Saturn, partially blocking it into the parking spot.Two men exited the passenger doors of the Honda. The male who got out of the front passenger door was later identified as Mistretta.Documents report Mistretta approached the front of the Saturn and pointed his rifle at the vehicle.The video shows another man in tactical gear exit the Honda, approach the driver's side of the Saturn and point his firearm at Wykle in the driver's seat.The Saturn begins to reverse as one agent walks directly behind it and braces himself against the car.As the vehicle continues to reverse, the agent gets out of the way as Wakefield fires downward into the car at Wykle's center.Court documents detail that Wakefield had fired twice while standing next to the vehicle.Documents note Wakefield was in a shooting stance and then blocked from view of the camera by the moving SaturnMistretta appears on the video to walk over to the Honda as Wakefield begins performing CPR on Wykle.Both Wakefield and Mistretta were directly filed to district court, meaning a jail-based arraignment did not take place.Reporting by Emily Brown, MTN News
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