BILLINGS - A 23-year-old woman was charged Tuesday with deliberate homicide in connection with the stabbing death of a Billings man found dead in an alley on May 16.
Violet Jeanee Littlelight allegedly plotted with two other people to rob Keith Troy Breckenridge, a lifelong acquaintance and former Hardin volunteer firefighter, and steal his truck, according to charging documents filed by Yellowstone County Deputy Attorney Jesse Erickson.
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Littlelight told police the plan was only to rob Breckenridge, but one of her partners, identified in court documents as "B.", hit him over the head and stabbed him multiple times and pulled him out of the vehicle, according to charging documents.
In addition to deliberate homicide, Littlelight was charged with tampering with evidence, a felony, after she and the other two allegedly scrubbed the stolen pickup clean of blood and threw away Breckenridge's cell phone. The other two have not been charged, but police are continuing to investigate.
Breckenridge's body was found in the alley near the intersection of Adams Street and Roosevelt Avenue. An autopsy indicated he suffered about 20 stab wounds, mostly on his neck and thigh, and none appeared to be defensive wounds.
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Billings police detectives began the investigation looking for Breckenridge's vehicle, a 2004 maroon Ford F-150 pickup truck that was spotted leaving the alley by a nearby surveillance camera. Breckenridge's cell phone was also stolen, and police were able to ping its location to a residence on the 5200 block of Crow River Road on the Crow reservation between Hardin and Crow Agency.
Agents with the Bureau of Indian of Affairs found the vehicle at the residence and spoke with the occupants, who said two people, including Littlelight, had dropped off the vehicle and left in a blue Dodge pickup, according to charging documents. The two later told Billings police that Littlelight and her partners asked for supplies to clean the truck and threw out several items, including blood-stained clothing and floor mats, into a burn pit, according to charging documents.
Littlelight was arrested on May 26. She told detectives that she would occasionally exchange sexual favors with the 51-year-old Breckenridge for money or alcohol, according to court documents. She said Breckenridge contacted her the night of his death and offered $200 to "spend the night" with him, according to charging documents.
At the time, she was hanging out and drinking with "B" and the third companion, identified as "S", at a residence on the 300 block of South 28th Street. She told police that "B" came up with the plan to steal Breckenridge's truck, and the other two agreed to it.
The three walked to Breckenridge's location, and Littlelight told police he immediately became suspicious of the other two. She vouched for them, and Breckenridge agreed to give all three a ride, according to charging documents.
"B" gave directions to the alley between Adams and Washington streets, which is where he hit and stabbed Breckenridge, according to Littlelight. She told police the three took the truck to the residence on Crow River Road, where they cleaned the truck and disposed of Breckenridge's cell phone, according to charging documents.
Littlelight has not appeared in court.
