Stufflebeam gets 10-year sentence

The man who pleaded guilty in the shooting death of his child’s mother has received a 10-year sentence for the crime, five years of which have been suspended by 19th Judicial District Judge James B. Wheelis.

Jacob William Stufflebeam, 31, agreed in May to plead guilty to one count of negligent homicide and prosecutors agreed to drop two misdemeanor charges.

Stufflebeam also had been charged with criminal mischief and shooting from or across a road.

Stufflebeam approved the guilty plea of negligent homicide in the Jan. 13  shooting death of 25-year-old Sara Jane Gudmundsen.

The couple were allegedly drinking and riding with others in a passenger car near Libby Dam when Stufflebeam allegedly used a pistol to shoot at road signs out of the car window. He allegedly unintentionally shot her as he was placing the gun in the holster.

According to court documents, Stufflebeam told authorities he had unintentionally shot Gudmundsen when his .222-caliber pistol discharged into the seat in front of him and struck her.

The driver of the car allegedly raced to town and called 911. Deputies met the car north of Libby on Highway 37.

Gudmundsen was taken to St. John’s Lutheran Hospital where she was pronounced dead.

In February, Wheelis denied a bond reduction in the case, but then approved Stufflebeam’s release on house arrest in May until his sentencing, as the case was argued by Defense Attorney Courtney Nolan. Nolan said Stufflebeam did not pose a flight risk because the charges stem from negligence, not malice.

Nolan also pointed out that he was not a flight risk, as his family – including his daughter – lives in the area.

Stufflebeam’s bond originally was set at $200,000 after his arrest.

Dispatch took the call at 10:50 p.m. and authorities met the vehicle five miles north of Libby on Highway 37.

Stufflebeam could have faced a maximum of 20 years in prison for negligent homicide, plus additional time for two related misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and shooting from or across a road or highway right-of-way.

Gudmundsen and Stufflebeam shared a 3-year-old daughter, but they were not in a relationship.