A Becker County township just north of Detroit Lakes is reeling after a father and his 3-year-old son were found dead Monday in what authorities are calling a murder-suicide. Relatives asked for a welfare check when the man did not show up for work, and deputies arrived at a grim scene: both father and child were dead from gunshot wounds inside the home. Family members and neighbors say the loss has hit the tight-knit area hard as investigators work to piece together what happened.
Scene and official account
According to Star Tribune, Becker County deputies went to a residence on County Road 113 in Holmesville Township after the man’s brother requested a check because he had not shown up for work. Deputies found 45-year-old Gene Russell Bartnes and his 3-year-old son, Koltyn Wayne Bartnes, dead from gunshot wounds inside the home. Authorities have not released a motive or a detailed timeline of the shooting, and the investigation remains active.
Official findings and timing
The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled Koltyn’s death a homicide and Gene Bartnes’ death a suicide, FOX 9 reported. The station also noted that deputies received the welfare-check call at about 12:39 p.m. Monday, then began processing the scene and coordinating with investigators.
Family reaction and community memorials
Koltyn’s mother, Kristi Frazier, told Valley News Live she was informed that her son was shot while he slept and that Bartnes left three suicide notes. Frazier said she had noticed what she described as "odd behavior" in the days before the deaths. Friends and relatives gathered along County Road 113 for a balloon release to honor both victims, and a GoFundMe has been launched to help cover funeral expenses, the station reported. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting the Becker County Sheriff’s Office with the case.
How common are these tragedies?
A UCLA-led analysis published in JAMA Surgery found that in-home firearm homicides of children more than doubled between 2010 and 2021 and that roughly 23% of in-home child homicides were associated with murder-suicide, UCLA Health reported. The study noted that when assailants could be identified, parents accounted for about 42% of in-home cases, a pattern researchers say points to prevention strategies that go beyond safe storage. Public-health experts have highlighted measures such as Extreme Risk Protection Orders and stronger connections between child-welfare investigations and firearm relinquishment as possible ways to reduce the risk of similar incidents.
If you or someone you know is thinking about harming themselves or others, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for immediate help or call local emergency services. Local county crisis teams and mental-health providers can also assist families in distress.
