Kyle Ann Morrow, a 73-year-old romance novelist, is behind bars facing murder charges for allegedly shooting and killing a Montana motel owner she reportedly tracked down after walking into the business asking for him, according to the Meagher County Sheriff's Office.
Background
The violence occurred on July 12 at the Spa Hot Springs Motel on West Main Street in White Sulphur Springs, a small community roughly 90 miles north of Bozeman. The victim, Gene Gudmundson, 79, was the owner of the motel, according to authorities.
Morrow had published three romance novels featuring violence as a plot point and maintained her own website advertising her authorial works, the Bozeman Daily Chronicle reported. She was known in the tight-knit community as someone who rode her bike around town regularly.
"She was just Kyle," Meagher County Sheriff Jon Lopp told the newspaper. "We've seen her around; she rode her bike around a lot."
The Investigation
According to a probable cause affidavit, Morrow walked into the motel asking about the location of Gudmundson and his wife before proceeding through a gate near the front desk counter where she allegedly delivered the single, fatal shot.
A motel front desk employee told police that after the shooting, Morrow stated: "He is a son of a b—, I shot him." The employee reported going to Gudmundson's office and finding him on the floor with blood, according to the charging document.
Meagher County Sheriff's Office deputies arrived at the scene just after 2 p.m. and found Gudmundson dead from a single gunshot wound. Investigators identified Morrow as the shooter through witness interviews and surveillance footage showing her vehicle leaving the motel.
When Meagher County Undersheriff Jerami West traveled to Morrow's address, he located her car parked outside the residence. Morrow allegedly ignored multiple attempts by law enforcement to contact her before attempting to flee in her Nissan Frontier, authorities said. She was physically blocked by Montana Highway Patrol and sheriff's deputies, removed from her vehicle, and taken into custody.
The Charges
Morrow has been charged with one count of deliberate homicide, the Meagher County Sheriff's Office confirmed. She is being held at the Broadwater County Detention Center on a $1 million bond.
After her arrest, investigators found a partially full bottle of Jameson whiskey, a handgun case, several loose cigarettes, and a lighter inside her vehicle, according to the charging document. Inside her residence, police allegedly discovered multiple suicide and final arrangement notes in which Morrow admitted to killing Gudmundson.
Key Takeaways
- Victim Gene Gudmundson, 79, was shot and killed at the Spa Hot Springs Motel where his wife had previously employed Morrow
- A motel employee reported hearing Morrow say "He is a son of a b—, I shot him" after the shooting
- Investigators identified her through surveillance footage and witness statements before locating her at her residence
- Multiple suicide notes found in Morrow's home allegedly contained admissions to killing Gudmundson
What's Next
Morrow is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 11 for a preliminary hearing where a judge will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial.