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Browning Man Sentenced in 2012 Murder

Victor Michael Vielle will spend 14 years in prison for second-degree murder

By Justin Franz

A 31-year-old Browning man will spend 14 years in federal prison for beating a man to death on an elementary school playground in October 2012.

Victor Michael Vielle was sentenced in federal court in Great Falls on Aug. 14, four months after he pleaded guilty to murdering David “Josh” RedHead of Browning. Vielle will spend 170 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.

“Vielle is a dangerous man,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon said at Vielle’s sentencing in Great Falls. “He fights and now the court is aware that he is capable of killing.”

According to court documents, the men were drinking and wrestling at a residence on Oct. 6, 2012, and went to the Browning Elementary School after being asked to leave the home. Vielle and RedHead were at the school’s playground when Vielle began to viciously beat RedHead before leaving him on the ground. RedHead stumbled to a nearby home and was taken to Kalispell Regional Medical Center where he died because of internal bleeding in the brain.

The entire beating was caught on a security camera at the school.

Because there is no parole in the federal prison system, it is likely Vielle will serve most of his sentence, however he can shorten his time served for good behavior, although it cannot exceed 15 percent of the overall term.