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Background: News footage of the home in Holmesville Township, Minn., where Gene Bartnes and his son Koltyn were found dead on March 30 (KVLY). Inset: Gene Bartnes holding his son Koltyn (Facebook).
Gene Bartnes, aged 45, and his 3-year-old son, Koltyn, were discovered with fatal gunshot wounds on Monday afternoon. The discovery was made by Bartnes’ brother, who had gone to check on them after Bartnes failed to show up for work that morning. The Becker County Sheriff’s Office reported that upon entering the residence, the brother found Bartnes deceased, and deputies later located Koltyn’s body.
Police announced on Tuesday that Bartnes had taken his son’s life before committing suicide. Koltyn’s mother and his surviving siblings have shared further insights into the tragic event, including the existence of three suicide notes left by Bartnes.
In a heartfelt interview with NBC affiliate KVLY, Kristi Frazier, Koltyn’s mother, recounted what law enforcement conveyed to her about the heartbreaking incident. Frazier revealed that Koltyn was shot in the back while he was asleep and that afterward, Bartnes lay beside him and ended his own life with a shot to the chest.
In an interview with local NBC affiliate KVLY, Kristi Frazier, Koltyn’s mother, said that police told her about how her former partner and toddler son died. Frazier told KVLY that Koltyn was shot in the back while he was asleep, “then his dad crawled into bed next to him and shot himself in the chest.”
Frazier said Bartnes had possibly suffered from mental health issues. Her landlord told her that when he saw Bartnes prior to his death, he “seemed off.”
The mother told KVLY that Bartnes reportedly left three suicide notes — one for her, one for law enforcement, and one offering an apology for his actions. Frazier said she had not been able to read any of the notes after police confiscated them as part of their investigation into the deaths.
On a GoFundMe page started to support Frazier, a friend noted that Frazier was a day care provider for her community. The family told KVLY that the funeral was currently on hold.