A romance novelist who has written books with violent themes was arrested after she allegedly shot and killed a motel owner.
The Meagher County Sheriff’s Office in Montana announced in a press release that Kyle Ann Morrow was charged with one count of deliberate homicide for the death of Gene Gudmundson during an incident on July 12.
Morrow, 73, allegedly killed Gudmundson, 79, at Spa Hot Springs Motel in White Sulphur Springs.
Police said that Morrow walked into the motel and asked where Gudmundson, who owned the motel, and his wife were. She then walked through a gate and headed to the front counter, where she allegedly shot Gudmundson one time, according to an affidavit of probable cause viewed by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
A motel employee spoke to police after the incident and claimed that Morrow said Gudmundson was “a son of a bitch” and admitted to shooting him, according to the outlet.
“I went to his office and saw him on the floor and blood,” the employee told police.
The sheriff’s office said that deputies reported to the motel around 2 p.m., where they found Gudmundson dead “due to a single gunshot wound.”
Investigators conducted witness interviews and looked through surveillance footage, and they managed to identify Morrow as the alleged shooter after the footage showed her vehicle leaving the motel.
Meagher County Undersheriff Jerami West then went to Morrow’s home and found the car featured in the footage parked outside. West made multiple attempts to contact Morrow, though the defendant allegedly ignored him and even tried to leave.
“Sometime later, Kyle Morrow left the residence on her own, got into her Nissan Frontier, and began to leave her property,” the affidavit stated. “She was physically blocked by Montana Highway Patrol and Deputies, directed her out of the vehicle and she was taken into custody.”
Morrow was then arrested, and authorities found a partially empty bottle of Jameson, a handgun case, several cigarettes and a lighter inside of her car.
Meanwhile, police allegedly found multiple “suicide/final arrangement notes,” in which Morrow admitted to killing Gudmundson, inside of her home.
Morrow is a published author, and three of her romance novels feature violence as a plot point, according to The Chronicle. Her books include Two Crow Omen: A Bryn Sheridan Montana Romance, Black Iron Brandy and Belt Buckle Bunny: A Shiv Sheehan Montana Romance.
It is not currently clear whether Morrow had a motive in the shooting. However, The Chronicle reported that she used to work at the motel.
Morrow is currently in custody at the Broadwater County Detention Center and is being held on a $1 million bond. She is scheduled to appear in court for her preliminary hearing on August 11.
It is unclear whether Morrow has entered a plea or retained legal counsel. The Meagher County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Us’ request for comment regarding an update in the case.
