Kalispell Police now believe the shootings Sunday morning at a home in Silverbrook Estatew was a murder-suicide. After an intense investigation, it’s been determined that 33-year-old Nicolas Olson-Hartley shot and killed his wife, 27-year-old Katie Olson-Hartley and their two children, one 6 years old and the other 7 months old.
It was a little before 6:00 Mothers Day morning that police arrived at their home at 127 Werner Peak Trial, in Silverbrook Estates. They were responding to Nicolas Olson-Hartley’s 9-1-1 hang-up calls. When police arrived, they had difficulty entering the home but when they did, they found the tragic situation. It appears that Nicholas took the lives of his young family before calling 9-1-1. It was soon thereafter that he took his own life.
6-year old Heidi Olsen-Hartley attends Edgerton Elementary School. District Superintendent Matt Jensen informed teachers before the start of class Monday so that they could prepare Heidi’s classmates as they learn of the tragedy. In a letter to Edgerton parents, Jensen informed parents that counseling is available if their child appears to be struggling with the news.
As you might imagine, the discovery of an event like this has had an impact on the responding officer and those who conducted the investigation. Police Chief Jordan Venezio is making all his department’s resources available to help his officer cope with what they saw and continue healthfully serving our community
