MT MT- Steve Joseph Kilwein, 79, home builder & artist, body found with multiple chop-type wounds, @ home, Bozeman, 13 June 2021, *New initiative*

[dotr]

Unsolved Montana: Who Killed Steve Kilwein?

Steve Kilwein always wanted to live under the vast skies of Montana. In the mid-1980s the middle-aged father of five, a successful contractor and home builder, left North Dakota and settled in Bozeman, moving his wife and family to a location that he had long romanticized. “He always wanted to...

www.montanapress.net

• Jun 5, 2023
• ''On June 13, 2021, Kilwein, 79, was slain on an otherwise ordinary Sunday morning in his own home. The victim, according to the death certificate, “of multiple chop-type wounds,” inflicted to the back of the head.
  His family continues to search for resolution and struggles to comprehend that such an irrational act of violence could be inflicted on their loved one without consequence.
  “People should know about it,” said Karla Hacker. “There's still a killer walking around town, maybe still in Bozeman, someone who brutally murdered our father. Most people have no idea that this happened. We have a $100,000 reward, but there's not an outrage or anything.”
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[dotr]

May 7, 2024
COLD CASE: The murder of Steven Kilwein (Part 1)

May 7, 2024
COLD CASE: The murder of Steven Kilwein (Part 2)

 

[dotr]

• Jun 14, 2024 rbbm
• Bozeman police still investigating man's murder three years later
• 

''Bozeman Police Department​

Today marks three years since Steven Kilwein was found murdered in his home at 101 N. 9th Avenue. We are still actively investigating and searching for answers regarding his mysterious death.

The Kilwein family is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for Steven’s death.
Anyone with information should contact Detective Lloyd at 406-582-2225.''

 

[dotr]

Jul 11, 2025

Suspect charged in Montana 'cold case' murder

The Bozeman Police Department announced at a news conference on Friday the arrest of Austin Clowes of Bozeman in connection with the 2021 murder of Steven Kilwein.

www.krtv.com

''BOZEMAN — The Bozeman Police Department announced at a news conference on Friday the arrest of Austin Clowes of Bozeman in connection with the 2021 murder of Steven Kilwein.

Clowes, 25 years old, was arrested on a warrant on Thursday, July 10, 2025, charged with deliberate homicide.''

''Bozeman Police Department detectives then initiated a homicide investigation. During the initial crime scene sweep, they located an Apple iPhone in Kilwein's front yard. The detectives then determined the phone belonged to Austin Clowes. Later, when detectives interviewed Clowes, he reportedly claimed it was his cellphone. Call detail records were analyzed by the FBI Cellular Analysis Survey Team, which showed Clowes' cellphone to be in the area of the crime between approximately 12:15 a.m. and 1 a.m. on June 13, 2021.''

 

[dotr]

Jul 11, 2025 #montana #montanamoment #nbcmontana
Authorities announced Friday that a suspect was arrested in connection to the June 13, 2021 murder of Steven Kilwein.Austin Clowes, 25, was taken into custody on Thursday on a warrant for deliberate homicide.Court documents allege that Clowes "purposely or knowingly" caused the death of Kilwein by inflicting multiple "chop style" injuries inside Kilwein's home.

 

[dotr]

Cold case revived: suspect charged with 2021 murder of Bozeman resident | Explore Big Sky

EBS STAFF On July 10, a man was arrested and charged with the 2021 murder of 79-year-old Bozeman resident Steven Kilwein. The Gallatin County Attorney’s Office announced in a press release July 11 that Austin John Clowes was charged with deliberate homicide and held on $1 million bond after...

www.explorebigsky.com

“This was an extremely violent and senseless killing of a vulnerable elder in our community,” Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell stated in the release. “I am deeply grateful to law enforcement that Mr. Clowes has been apprehended and charged. Most importantly, I want to commend the Kilwein family for their extraordinary grace, patience and steadfast commitment to justice during the long wait for answers in this tragic case.”

''Evidence recovered at the scene included a cell phone belonging to Clowes, which placed him at the scene during the early morning hours of the murder, the release explained. Additional DNA evidence recovered from the victim’s pajama bottoms and hands was later matched to DNA from a water bottle taken from Clowes’ trash.''

 

[loreet]

It is a great relief that a suspect has been caught and charged for this extremely violent crime. However the news articles and videos indicate that this man — AC — was a suspect from the earliest stages of the investigation. And that his DNA was retrieved from a water bottle in his garbage in 2021. That’s almost unbelievable to me. I understand that law enforcement everywhere is stretched thin, and Bozeman definitely hasn’t been used to dealing with violent murders. BUT wow. Just wow. 4 years this case has gone unsolved when the evidence was right there. That is not something this department should be proud of. Or am I expecting too much? Serious question.

 

[Shade13]

Wonder what the motive was

 

[cenazoic]

Wonder what the motive was

“Good” ole “gay panic” comes to mind.

 

[dotr]

Aug 22, 2025

Bozeman man charged with murder of Steven Kilwein pleads 'Not Guilty'

Four years after Steven Kilwein was found dead in his Bozeman home, prosecutors say newly analyzed DNA evidence has led to Austin Clowes, 25, who pleaded not guilty to murder.

www.kbzk.com

''GALLATIN COUNTY — There was a full courtroom on Wednesday morning at the Gallatin County Justice Center, as Austin Clowes made his initial appearance in district court.''

''Clowes’ bail remains at the initial amount of $1 million. He has a bail hearing set for August 28th at 9:30 am.''

 

[Shade13]

“Good” ole “gay panic” comes to mind.

I was wondering that. But from what I read, he was married to a woman for a long time. I do think it was odd that he let random men live in the trailer in his back yard for free.

 

[Warwick1991]

I was wondering that. But from what I read, he was married to a woman for a long time. I do think it was odd that he let random men live in the trailer in his back yard for free.

Nothing published points to Kilwein being gay. Letting people with problems stay in the trailer may instead indicate, as described in the Montana press story linked above, that Steve was a compassionate person who was harmed by someone he tried to help. The dead man cannot speak to us. Clowes may misrepresent his victim out of self interest.

 

[Shade13]

Nothing published points to Kilwein being gay. Letting people with problems stay in the trailer may instead indicate, as described in the Montana press story linked above, that Steve was a compassionate person who was harmed by someone he tried to help. The dead man cannot speak to us. Clowes may misrepresent his victim out of self interest.

He did let a homeless druggy stay there recently...which is not the suspect. He also had been a target of repeated robberies. But I can't see it being this guy. It's also strange that his phone was just laying out in the yard. If he forgot it or lost it, it makes me feel like he was too drunk to find it.

 

[Shade13]

I just seen the part about the window and door had been busted into. That definitely changes things a bit. So this guy was breaking in. Maybe he was going to try and burglarize.

 

[cenazoic]

Clowes may misrepresent his victim out of self interest

Totally agree; I was too snarky in my initial post.

 

[LadyL]

Jul 11, 2025

Suspect charged in Montana 'cold case' murder

The Bozeman Police Department announced at a news conference on Friday the arrest of Austin Clowes of Bozeman in connection with the 2021 murder of Steven Kilwein.

www.krtv.com

''BOZEMAN — The Bozeman Police Department announced at a news conference on Friday the arrest of Austin Clowes of Bozeman in connection with the 2021 murder of Steven Kilwein.

Clowes, 25 years old, was arrested on a warrant on Thursday, July 10, 2025, charged with deliberate homicide.''

''Bozeman Police Department detectives then initiated a homicide investigation. During the initial crime scene sweep, they located an Apple iPhone in Kilwein's front yard. The detectives then determined the phone belonged to Austin Clowes. Later, when detectives interviewed Clowes, he reportedly claimed it was his cellphone. Call detail records were analyzed by the FBI Cellular Analysis Survey Team, which showed Clowes' cellphone to be in the area of the crime between approximately 12:15 a.m. and 1 a.m. on June 13, 2021.''

colour me confused
they had the phone in 2021 but didn't arrest until 2025?

 

[LadyL]

It is a great relief that a suspect has been caught and charged for this extremely violent crime. However the news articles and videos indicate that this man — AC — was a suspect from the earliest stages of the investigation. And that his DNA was retrieved from a water bottle in his garbage in 2021. That’s almost unbelievable to me. I understand that law enforcement everywhere is stretched thin, and Bozeman definitely hasn’t been used to dealing with violent murders. BUT wow. Just wow. 4 years this case has gone unsolved when the evidence was right there. That is not something this department should be proud of. Or am I expecting too much? Serious question.

not to mention they had his phone?
yeah ... strange

 

[Shade13]

colour me confused
they had the phone in 2021 but didn't arrest until 2025?

They were waiting for "conclusive evidence". Apparently he told them he dropped the phone in the yard when he was walking home from the bar...presumably drunk. He wouldn't agree to DNA test, but they sneaked and got it off a bottle from his trash. I think the holdup was, they had not found any foreign DNA on Steve Kilwein until here recently when they found it on his pants.

 

[LadyL]

They were waiting for "conclusive evidence". Apparently he told them he dropped the phone in the yard when he was walking home from the bar...presumably drunk. He wouldn't agree to DNA test, but they sneaked and got it off a bottle from his trash. I think the holdup was, they had not found any foreign DNA on Steve Kilwein until here recently when they found it on his pants.

oh ok so that makes more sense
thanks Shade13