It’s a story that has gripped the Billings community for years, one marked by broken trust, a staggering breach of law enforcement integrity, and a sudden, heartbreaking conclusion. Rawlyn Strizich, a former Billings Police Department evidence clerk whose name became synonymous with one of the biggest scandals to ever hit the force, was killed earlier this week in a terrible two-vehicle crash on Highway 310. The tragic nature of her end—a head-on collision—has brought her controversial journey back into the spotlight, reminding everyone of the chaos she left behind.
Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan confirmed that Strizich was the driver in the fatal wreck, which was reported at 8:15 a.m. on Highway 310 near mile marker 41. According to the Montana Highway Patrol, Strizich was driving a Ford Fusion heading south when she inexplicably drifted out of her lane and struck a northbound Kenworth truck. It’s a sad detail that she was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt. While the 67-year-old truck driver from Bridger sustained only minor injuries, the collision proved fatal for Strizich, instantly closing the book on a complicated life that had once been defined by scandal.
For those whose memories of the case have faded, the tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the firestorm Strizich ignited back in 2018. She was initially a trusted employee at the very heart of the criminal justice system—the evidence locker. But that trust was shattered when she was discovered to have been systematically stealing prescription opiates, including pain killers like oxycodone, from the department’s secure storage. The total theft was breathtaking: over 1,000 pills taken from evidence collected in more than 130 criminal cases.
The immediate fallout was catastrophic, throwing the Yellowstone County justice system into turmoil. Because of Strizich’s actions, prosecutors were forced to scramble, reviewing cases and ultimately dismissing charges in dozens of felony matters. After an internal investigation, she was fired and later pleaded guilty to one felony charge—tampering with public records or information—for which she received a six-year deferred sentence. The damage she inflicted wasn’t just on her own life, but on the integrity of countless investigations and the victims they represented.
However, the depth of the scandal didn’t end with the missing drugs. As investigators pulled at the threads of Strizich’s misconduct, a shocking parallel issue emerged: a devastating sexual misconduct case involving multiple Billings police officers and Strizich herself. It was revealed that three officers—Paul LaMantia, Matthew Edwards, and Clint Anglin—had engaged in sexual relations with her while on duty or, unbelievably, on police property. This revelation exposed a culture of impropriety that shook the very foundations of the department.
The gravity of the situation was compounded by the city of Billings’ initial response. The municipal government fought tooth and nail to keep the names of the officers involved hidden from the public for over two years. It took the joint effort of Q2 News and The Billings Gazette, who filed a lawsuit, to finally force the release of their identities, affirming the public’s right to know the full extent of the misconduct that had corroded the police force from within.
Rawlyn Strizich’s life, once private and professional, became a public spectacle of crime and controversy, forever linked to the shame of an institution she served and betrayed. Now, years after the headlines faded, her story reaches its final, somber conclusion on a stretch of Montana highway. It’s a deeply tragic end for a woman who once held a position of trust, only to become the central figure in a drama that exposed institutional failures and forever changed how the community viewed its police department.
