Veteran actor Patrick Duffy, best known for his role on the long‑running series “Dallas,” opened up on the “Still Here Hollywood” podcast about the violent loss of his parents nearly four decades ago. On the night of November 18, 1986, two 19‑year‑old men entered the bar his parents owned in rural Montana, brandishing shotguns.

What happened that night

Duffy explained that his father, Terence, had previously asked the two men to leave the premises because they were drunk and disruptive. After being expelled, the men returned, opened fire, and killed Terence instantly. His mother, Marie, was solving a crossword puzzle at a nearby table when she heard the gunshots. She rushed toward her husband, only to be struck and killed as well.

According to court testimony, the assailants then leapt over the bar, seized cash and a few bottles of liquor, and fled the scene. A group of workers from the nearby Montana Developmental Center stopped for a drink after their shift and discovered the bodies. One woman initially thought her mother had fainted, but when she saw blood on Terence’s body she called for help.

Family response and support

Duffy said he learned of the murders the following morning when his sister, a police officer, called him from Montana. By the time he answered, film crews were already at the gate of the bar. The production company behind “Dallas,” Lorimar Television, arranged a private jet and sent a public‑relations representative to assist the grieving family.

In the years that followed, Duffy’s Buddhist philosophy became a source of comfort. He told the podcast host that the Buddhist view of a continuous life cycle helped him feel a spiritual connection to his parents, even after their deaths. He also shared how he taught his own sons, Padraic and Conor, to chant in memory of their grandparents, believing the prayers would reach them.

Legal outcome

The two perpetrators, identified as Sean A. Wentz and Kenneth A. Miller, were convicted of murder and sentenced to prison. Subsequent reports indicate that Miller was released on parole in 2007 and Wentz in 2015.

Duffy reflected that, despite the horror of the event, he never felt completely disconnected from his parents. He attributes that sense of ongoing presence to his spiritual practice, which has guided him through the grief and allowed him to continue his acting career and family life.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.