Kalispell, MT — A Kalispell man who pleaded guilty to the killing of a homeless man in June 2023 was sentenced to 40 years in prison Monday morning. Kaleb Fleck, 19 at the time of the assault, had changed his plea from not guilty to guilty in February after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors.
Fleck was sentenced to a total of 50 years in prison, with 10 of those years suspended. As part of the sentence, he is required to pay restitution to the victim’s family and register as a violent offender. The sentence comes after Fleck admitted to the brutal assault and murder of 60-year-old Scott Bryan, whose body was discovered behind a gas station in the Meridian Road area on June 25, 2023.
Bryan, a homeless man, was found lying face down on the ground with severe injuries, and was pronounced dead at Logan Health in Kalispell about 30 minutes after the attack. According to court documents, a witness at the scene provided a video that led authorities to identify Fleck and his co-defendant, 18-year-old Wiley Meeker, as the perpetrators.
Fleck and Meeker were initially inside a truck at the gas station when Bryan approached the vehicle. Fleck later admitted to police that he got out of the truck and assaulted Bryan. Meeker told officers he pulled Fleck away from Bryan and then fled the scene.
A search of Fleck’s home uncovered boots with suspected blood stains, further implicating him in the crime.
During the sentencing, the courtroom heard emotional statements from both the victim’s and the defendant’s families. Sean O’Neill, resource manager for the Flathead Warming Center, spoke on behalf of Bryan, expressing his grief and disappointment at the senseless violence. “I couldn’t shake thinking about the choices these young men made to not only remove Scott Bryan from this earth but to film it, and the pride they demonstrated afterward,” O’Neill said. “It’s sad, disgusting, and shows what these young men value in life.”
In contrast, Fleck’s mother, Kayla Mahlen, spoke in defense of her son, emphasizing his remorse and insisting that it was a mistake. “This is just a bump in the road, he didn’t mean it, he’s remorseful, he is sad,” Mahlen said. “His whole family is here on his side, wanting the best for him. That’s all we want is the best for him and this was just a mistake.”
The case has drawn significant attention due to its brutal nature and the involvement of young men in such a violent crime. The impact on the Kalispell community and the family of Scott Bryan remains deeply felt, as many continue to grapple with the senseless loss of a life.
