5 key details about Lauren DeWise’s murder
Tonight's episode of 20/20 brings to viewers the chilling murder of Lauren DeWise, recounting the key details of the harrowing homicide case that took place near Bozeman in Montana.
The case is going to be retold on tonight's episode by ABC News correspondent John Quiñones, who reports on it and answers some intriguing questions around this case, which shook the community of Montana. Featuring never-before-seen police video from the case and an exclusive interview with the survivor of the attack, Ashley Van Hemert, the 20/20 episode airs tonight, March 14, 2025.
5 details about the murder of Lauren DeWise
Here are five key details from the case before the 20/20 episode airs tonight with the full story.
1. Lauren DeWise was the victim of a Montana shooting incident
Born in Lakeland, Florida, Lauren Walder DeWise grew up in New Jersey and went on to get a degree from the University of West Florida. She taught at a middle school in Pensacola and was married to Joseph Paul DeWise. The couple had a daughter together and lived in Montana where Lauren was working as a Banking Center Manager at a local bank.
2. Lauren was having troubles in her marriage
Sometime in November 2017, Lauren moved in with her friends, Audria and Ashley, because there were troubles in her marriage. But one morning in January 2018, when Audria got home, she found the door ajar and there were unidentified footprints in the snow. She went into the room to find that Lauren and Ashley were shot and gravely wounded.
3. Lauren DeWise succumbed to her injuries
Audria immediately called 911 to report the crime. When authorities arrived, Lauren was found dead in her bedroom. She had suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Ashley was still alive but barely so because she was heavily injured from gunshot wounds.
Investigations started into the incident, and Lauren's marital issues came to the forefront, which led authorities to hold Joseph DeWise, her husband, as the prime suspect.
4. Joseph DeWise was arrested for his crimes
Lauren DeWise's husband, Joseph DeWise, was arrested in relation to the murder, but he denied all charges. But police found several phone recordings between Lauren and Joseph where he could be heard threatening to kill Lauren. She had been wanting a divorce for some time.
There were also several testimonies against him. Audria testified against Joseph, saying that she often found bruises on Lauren, and Lauren's employer also provided accounts of two incidents where Lauren came to work with bruises.
However, the most significant testimonies came from Joseph’s children from a previous relationship. 15-year-old Joe testified in court against his father, saying that he was accompanying him when he committed the crime. 19-year-old Natalie also testified that on the morning after the incident, her father had confessed to her about the crime.
5. Joseph DeWise was convicted
The testimonies gathered went a long way in convicting Joseph. In addition to these, the prosecution also presented further evidence of gunshot residue on his jacket. Joseph DeWise was found guilty of deliberate homicide, using a firearm, and attempted deliberate homicide after a seven-day trial. In February 2020, he was sentenced to 220 years in prison with no possibility of parole.
Catch tonight's episode of 20/20 to learn more about the murder case of Lauren DeWise.
