Madison County (Mont.) Clerk Of District Court records, 1984-1985

In July of 1984 near Big Sky, Montana, "mountain men" Donald and Daniel Nichols kidnapped student and biathlete Kari Swenson. A search for Swenson was organized the evening she disappeared, but she was not located until the next morning. Searchers Alan Goldstein and Jim Schwalbe located onto the Nichols and their captive the next morning. In their efforts to rescue Swenson, she was shot through the chest, but not killed; Goldstein was fatally shot. Schwalbe escaped the camp after Goldstein was shot and it was located again later that day. Swenson, who had been abandoned by her captors, was rescued. Following a five month long search, Donald and son Daniel were finally located and captured by sheriff John France in December of 1984. Daniel Nichols was tried in May of 1985 and convicted of kidnapping and misdemeanor assault. Donald Nichols was tried in July of 1985 and was convicted of kidnapping, deliberate homicide and aggravated assault. The men were tried in the Fifth Judicial District Court in Madison County, Montana.