Minnesota Man, 31, Charged With Executing Father in Front of Uncle at Hunting Cabin

A Minnesota man has been charged with the shocking murder of his father in what authorities describe as an “execution style” killing. Kirk Edward Hezlett III, age 31, allegedly gunned down his 62-year-old father, Kirk Edward Hezlett II, during a family dinner at a hunting cabin in Hinckley, about 80 miles north of Minneapolis.

According to reports, the horrific incident occurred on November 15, as the elder Hazlett and two witnesses were wrapping up their meal. Suddenly, Hezlett III burst into the cabin, shooting his father in the head at close range. Witnesses claim that age-old family tensions led the younger Hezlett to commit the crime.

The Pine County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call reporting the shooting at around 8:45 PM. Once they arrived, deputies found the elder Hazlett lying face down on the floor, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. A probable cause affidavit revealed that he had endured nine shots to his head and torso.

One of the witnesses, believed to be the victim’s brother, described the chaos that ensued when he received an alert from a motion-activated camera. Upon checking the camera, he saw his nephew enter the cabin brandishing a firearm. In a panic, he rushed to retrieve his own gun but was too late—he heard several shots before returning to discover his brother on the floor and his nephew standing over him with a weapon.

In a surreal turn of events, Hezlett III reportedly ordered the two remaining witnesses to sit on the couch as they begged for their lives. The elder Hazlett was still alive but weakly breathing at this point. In a cold act, Hezlett III approached his father and fired a final shot to ensure he was dead.

Following the crime, Hezlett III is said to have confiscated the victims’ cell phones, allowing them to leave the cabin unscathed. The surviving witness described the incident as deliberate, stating, “He entered with a mission… he entered to kill him.” Relatives later told investigators that the father and son had a strained relationship for quite some time, although specifics about their disputes were not disclosed in the affidavit.

Authorities were able to locate Hezlett III at his residence in Cambridge, where they found his vehicle—a 2014 Black Ford Fusion—believed to have been used to get to the cabin. He was subsequently arrested and is currently held on a $3 million bond, facing charges of second-degree murder, as well as kidnapping and burglary.

This tragic event marks not the first time law enforcement had to intervene at the family cabin. Just a month prior, police responded to a domestic disturbance involving the father and son, relating to a drunken altercation that culminated in the father having his son trespassed from the property. The case underscores the deep-seated issues that may have culminated in this disturbing act of violence.