Court documents offer new details on Trego shooting

A Trego man is being held without bond after allegedly killing his 31-year-old son early on April 5.

Scott Lee Kirkedahl, 57, faces a single count of deliberate homicide. He made his first appearance in Lincoln County Justice Court via videoconference from the county jail on April 6.

Authorities from multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the scene in Trego between 3:55 a.m. and 4:15 a.m. after dispatchers received a call reporting a man had shot and killed his son. Arriving Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office deputies took Kirkedahl into custody before entering the man’s trailer, court documents said.

Inside, deputies found a dead man on the floor of the kitchen, a “considerable amount” of blood on the ground around his head. The victim’s paternal uncle meanwhile waited in the back bedroom to speak with investigators.

According to court documents, the victim’s uncle told authorities that he had been visiting the Eureka area for about a week. Originally, he stayed in the trailer with Kirkedahl and his nephew, but left because the pair kept fighting, court documents said.

At one point, the victim left Kirkedahl with a black eye after punching him, his uncle told investigators. But he did not witness any physical violence between the two, having decided to stay at a local motel instead.

According to the uncle, his brother picked him up at the motel about 10 a.m., April 4. The trio spent the day drinking beer around the kitchen table, according to court documents.

But when Kirkedahl and the victim began arguing again, the uncle headed for the back bedroom. He heard a gunshot and spun around, catching sight of Kirkedahl raising his hand in the air.

Not seeing a gun in the other man’s hand, the uncle continued on his way. Authorities later found a bullet hole in the ceiling of the kitchen, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

After entering the bedroom, he heard another shot, court documents said.

The victim’s father walked into the room soon after and sat on the edge of the bed, allegedly saying he had just shot his son. The brother looked for himself and found the body, according to court documents.

Detective Daune Rhodes of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office also spoke briefly with Kirkedahl, asking him for the location of the firearm. Kirkedahl allegedly told him it was on the top of a gun cabinet in his bedroom.

Rhodes asked Kirkedahl to accompany him. There were several guns in that spot and Rhodes wanted to ensure he grabbed the correct firearm, according to the affidavit.

Rhodes would know the difference between a .38 caliber firearm and a .22, Kirkedahl allegedly said before declining to speak any further with the investigator. He was first taken to the North Lincoln County Law Enforcement Center before heading to the county jail in Libby.

Authorities identified the victim as 31-year-old Xennie Kirkedahl. His body was taken to the Montana State Crime Lab for an autopsy.

Deputies and detectives with the sheriff’s office received help from Eureka police officers and a U.S. Border Patrol agent, according to a press release.