Minnesota Horror: Man, 3-year-old son found dead inside home in apparent murder-suicide; family reacts as police intensify probe

A chilling tragedy has emerged out of Minnesota, where a man and his three-year-old son were found dead inside a home in what authorities have since determined to be a murder-suicide. The grim case came to light on March 30, 2026 (Monday), when a man went to check on his brother at his home in Holmesville Township after he failed to show up for work, the Becker County Sheriff's Office said, as reported by PEOPLE.

Upon arriving at the scene, the man discovered his brother dead from an apparent gunshot wound, according to authorities. When deputies arrived shortly after, they found a three-year-old boy also dead from a gunshot wound.

The two deceased were identified as Gene Bartnes, 45, and his son, Koltyn, PEOPLE reported. The sheriff's office said Bartnes died by suicide, while Koltyn's manner of death was ruled a homicide. Police did not provide any information about a possible motive at the time this report was filed.


The family of Koltyn Bartnes and Gene Bartnes spoke to Valley News Live for the first time, detailing the moments they learned about the tragic incident. “I stood up and just fell. I couldn’t even move... They said Koltyn was shot in the back when he was sleeping, and then his dad crawled into bed next to him and shot himself in the chest,” Koltyn’s mother, Kristi Frazier, told the news outlet.

Frazier also stated that Bartnes allegedly left three suicide notes, one of which was an apology. She further told the outlet that she was told Bartnes had exhibited odd behavior prior to his death but that she never expected a murder-suicide.

"They said Koltyn was shot in the back when he was sleeping, and then his dad crawled into bed next to him and shot himself in the chest,” Frazier told Valley News Live.