knowledge and investigative information developed and provided to him by

Montana Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation Agents

Ryan Eamon, James Ward, and Missoula County Sheriffs Detective Sean
Evans contained within a probable cause statement, demonstrates probable
cause to believe that the Defendant, KRAIG WALTER BENSON, has
committed the offenses of Count I: Deliberate Homicide; and Count II:
Deliberate Homicide, both committed with a firearm.
The facts establishing probable cause are as follows:
On Sunday, August 27, 2023, at approximately 2123 hours (9:23 p.m.),
Mineral County Sheriffs Office received a 911 call from a male identified as
Logan Martin (Martin) reporting two (2) individuals got into a fight and shots
were fired at the Four Aces Bar located at 20 Mullan Road, within Mineral
County, Superior, Montana. Martin reported two (2) people were deceased
inside the Four Aces Bar and approximately ten (10) shots were fired.
Martin reported that the suspect left in a dark colored Chevy Tahoe headed
toward Mullan Road East within Superior, Montana.
A witness identified as Paul Britt contacted Mineral County Sheriff s
Dispatch reporting the suspect vehicle involved in the shooting at the Four
Aces Bar was following him leaving Superior, Montana. Mineral County
Sheriff s Office Dispatch dispatched deputies to the Four Aces Bar and added
the information gathered from both Logan Martin reporting the shooting and
Paul Britt reporting the suspect vehicle traveling away from the area of the
Four Aces Bar.
Mineral County Sheriffs Deputy Eric Lindauer was dispatched by
Mineral County Dispatch and accessed his License Plate Reader through
Axon to identify vehicles that were in the area as he had recently patrolled
through the area of Mullan Road West within Superior, Montana. Deputy

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Lindauer recalled recently driving past the Four Aces Bar and observing a
dark colored Chevy Tahoe, which was parked in front of the establishment.
Deputy Eric Lindauer located the dark colored Chevy Tahoe on his license
plate reader and identified the vehicle as bearing Washington license plate
number BWT4383. Deputy Eric Lindauer requested Mineral County
Dispatch run the license plate number and learned the dark colored Chevy
Tahoe was registered to a female out of Washington state identified as
Jenny Benson. Deputy Eric Lindauer contacted Mineral County Dispatch
and requested they contact surrounding counties to be on the lookout for the
dark colored Chevy Tahoe bearing Washinton license plate number BWT4383
as a possible suspect vehicle in the shooting.
Mineral County Deputy Atkin responded to the area where Paul Britt
was reporting the dark colored Chevy Tahoe was following him. Deputy
Atkin stopped and spoke with the individual who reported the suspect was
following them. The individual was identified as Paul Britt (Britt) who
reported to Mineral County Deputy Atkin that the suspect was driving a dark
colored Chevy Tahoe and was wearing a gray t-shirt and had dark colored
hair.
Deputy Atkin, while speaking with Britt learned that Britt was in the
area of the Four Aces Bar when the shooting occurred, and upon witnessing
the dark colored Chevy Tahoe leaving the area, Britt entered his vehicle and
began to follow the dark colored Chevy Tahoe.
Mineral County Sheriff s Deputy Eric Lindauer responded to 20 Mullan
Road within Superior, Montana, after attempting to locate the reported
suspect vehicle. Mineral County Deputy Sheriffs Deputy Eric Lindauer
identified 20 Mullan Road as the Four Aces Bar. Deputy Lindauer entered
the Four Aces Bar and observed a deceased male lying face down behind the
bar. Deputy Lindauer knew from prior dealings that this deceased male was

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Logan Gardner. Deputy Lindauer had prior knowledge that Logan
Gardner was employed at the Four Aces Bar as the bartender.
Deputy Lindauer observed an additional blood pool within the Four
Aces Bar. Deputy Lindauer observed that this blood pool was in a separate
location from the deceased male. Deputy Lindauer also observed medical
equipment near the second blood pool which was in the common area of the
bar where patrons would sit.
Deputy Lindauer knows from his training and experience that the
second blood pool was consistent with an additional victim. Deputy Lindauer
learned that Superior Ambulance and Superior Fire EMS responded to the
scene and had transported a second gunshot wound victim to Mineral
Community Hospital within Superior, Montana. Deputy Lindauer learned
that the second gunshot wound victim was a female.
Deputy Lindauer then secured the area and began identifying
witnesses to the shooting at the Four Aces Bar. Deputy Lindauer located the
owner of the Four Aces Bar, identified as Rhonda Lapierre. Lapierre allowed
Deputy Lindauer to review surveillance footage from the Four Aces Bar.
Deputy Lindauer knows from prior dealings that Lapierre also owns the
adjoining business identified as Napa Auto Parts.
Upon reviewing the surveillance footage, Deputy Lindauer observed
several individuals inside the Four Aces Bar. Deputy Lindauer observed a
male and female sitting next to each near the middle of the bar. The male
matched the description given by Paul Britt to Deputy Atkin. Deputy
Lindauer observed the male inside of the Four Aces Bar leave at one point
during the surveillance footage and walk outside to the dark colored Chevy
Tahoe. The male opens the passenger door of the dark colored Chevy Tahoe
while smoking a cigarette, then closes the door and locks the vehicle. The
male then returns to his seat next to the female inside the Four Aces Bar.

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 At approximately 2119 hours (9:19 p.m.) on the time stamp of the
surveillance video, the male reaches to his waist band area and produces a
firearm from his person, turns toward the female producing the firearm, and
shoots the female in the head. The female falls from her bar stool to the floor
and the male turns and fires towards the bar tender. The male then fires in
the direction of the bar tender several times. The male then walks towards
the area where the bartender is on the ground and returns to the area where
he was seated placing a gun on the bar.
Deputy Lindauer viewed the surveillance video from Napa Auto Parts
which adjoins the Four Aces Bar and observed a dark colored Chevy Tahoe
parked in front of the Four Aces Bar. The dark colored Chevy Tahoe matched
the license plate Deputy Lindauer had reviewed earlier from his License
Plate Reader. Deputy Lindauer observed the direction of travel of the dark
colored Chevy Tahoe and noted the large white van being driven by Paul
Britt leaves the area headed in the same direction of travel as the Chevy
Tahoe.
Rhonda Lapierre reported to Deputy Lindauer that she knew the
female in the Four Aces Bar and identified her as Jenny Savage or Jenny
Benson. Deputy Lindauer learned from the Mineral Community Hospital
that they believed the female was Jenny Benson. Deputy Lindauer requested
that the Mineral County Dispatch run the name Jenny Benson and
received a photograph of Benson, aiding in the positive identification of the
victim as Jenny Benson. Mineral County Deputy Jack Hughes was called to
assist as the coroner in the case and positively identified the deceased female
as Jenny Benson.
Montana Division of Criminal Investigation Agent James Ward was
contacted by Montana Department of Justice Division of Criminal
Investigation Supervisory Agent John Sullivan. Agent Sullivan detailed that

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Montana Division of Criminal Investigation was contacted by Mineral County
Sheriff s Office Under Sheriff Wayne Cashman to investigate the incident.
Agent Ward learned while responding from Helena, Montana, the
suspect was identified as Kraig Walter Benson. While responding, Division
of Criminal Investigation Supervisory Agent Sullivan detailed that multiple
agencies were pursuing Kraig Walter Benson and had located him driving the
blue Chevy Tahoe bearing Washington License Plate BWT4383. The
Defendant was located in Missoula County, Montana.
Montana Division of Criminal Investigation Agent Ryan Eamon
responded to the Four Aces Bar where he met with Mineral County Sheriff s
Deputies. Agent Eamon was briefed that the female, Jenny Benson, was
deceased and transported to Mineral Community Hospital where a
Deputy/Coroner was on scene. Agent Eamon was briefed that Logan
Gardner's body was still on scene. Agent Eamon noted the scene was secured
by Mineral County Sheriff s Deputies.
Agent Eamon was provided a walkthrough of the scene by Mineral
County Deputy Eric Lindauer. Prior to walking through the Four Ace Bar,
the owners identified as Rhonda and Aaron Lapierre were on scene and
stated they provided the surveillance footage to Mineral County Sheriff s
Deputies. The Lapierre's stated that law enforcement could consensually
search the establishment and offered the keys to the establishment and any
additional assistance.
Upon walking through the Four Aces Bar, Agent Eamon noted the door
was secured by evidence tape and locked. Inside the Four Aces Bar, Agent
Eamon observed the body of Logan Gardner and the blood pool from where
Deputy Lindauer had indicated Jenny Benson's body was located prior to
being removed by Emergency Medical personnel. Agent Eamon observed
fired cartridge casings, electronic devices, fired bullets, broken glass, a

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firearm on the bar, and other miscellaneous items of evidence inside the Four
Aces Bar.
Montana DCI Agents Ward and Eamon reviewed the surveillance video
collected by Mineral County Sheriff s Deputies. The surveillance footage
shows a dark colored Chevy Tahoe parked in front of the Four Aces Bar. A
male and female are observed from the interior surveillance footage seated
next to each other. The male leaves the interior of the Four Aces Bar and
walked outside to smoke a cigarette. The male can be observed on the
external video footage accessing the dark colored Chevy Tahoe from the
passenger side and securing something into his dark colored shorts. The
male then walks back toward the front of the Four Aces Bar and the vehicle
headlights emit indicating the male used a key fob device to lock the vehicle
remotely.
The male then re-enters the Four Aces Bar and accesses his seat to the
right of the female seated in the middle of the bar. The male gestures to the
bartender calling his and the female's location within the bar. When the
bartender is in the area the male is observed reaching into his waistband and
producing a firearm. The male extends the firearms in both hands towards
the female's head and fires, shooting the female in the head. The female falls
from her barstool onto the floor and the male extends the firearm over the
bar towards the bartender and fires, shooting the bartender as the bartender
began retreating away from the male.
The male begins moving towards the bartender as he is retreating
towards the front door of the Four Aces Bar. As the male passes the female
lying on the floor he fires again into the female on floor. The male then starts
firing in the direction of the bartender, shooting him three more times as he
is lying on the floor near the entrance to the Four Aces Bar. The male then
returns to the middle bar area of the establishment and places the firearm on

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the bar. The male walks outside the Four Aces Bar and enters the Chevy
Tahoe bearing Washington License Plate BWT4383 and leaves the area.
The surveillance footage shows other individuals within the Four Aces
Bar during the shooting. As the shooting occurs, people area observed
running out of the Four Aces Bar. Other individuals are in front of the Four
Aces Bar near a white Chevy Van belonging to Paul Britt. When the shooting
starts inside the Four Aces Bar people outside react by running away from
the area. Paul Britt is visible watching the male enter the Chevy Tahoe.
Britt runs to the door of the Four Aces Bar, observes the victims inside and
returns to his Chevy Van and begins driving in the same direct the male had
left in.
While speaking with Mineral County Sheriffs Deputies, they identified
the male shooter as Kraig Walter Benson. Mineral County Sheriff's Deputies
detailed that from their investigation up to that point including the review of
the surveillance video and speaking with witnesses, the male was identified
as Kraig Walter Benson. Mineral County Deputies detailed to Montana
Division of Criminal Investigation Agents that Kraig Walter Benson was the
husband of victim Jenny Benson.
Missoula County Sheriff's Office details
Missoula County Sheriff s Det. Sean Evans stated that at
approximately 2151 hours on Sunday, August 27, 2023, the Mineral County
Sheriffs Office reported it had a report of two people that had been shot by a
suspect in Superior, Montana. One of the victims had since died. The suspect
of the shooting was the driver of a black Chevrolet Tahoe. The driver had fled
in the vehicle from the scene, eastbound towards Missoula County.
At 2255 hours on the same date, a citizen called the Missoula 911
dispatch to report a moving violation of a black Chevy Tahoe driving
erratically eastbound on Highway 12 West.

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 At 2258 hours on the same date, another citizen called the Missoula
911 dispatch to report observing a male in a black Tahoe on Highway 12. The
Tahoe had a flat tire.
A few minutes later, a Trooper with the Montana Highway Patrol
located the vehicle driving on Petty Creek Road. The Trooper advised the
vehicle attempted to flee from him. Law enforcement converged on the area
and the vehicle stopped on Petty Creek Road. After a short time, deputies
from the Missoula County Sheriffs Office made contact with the sole
occupant of the vehicle. That male was taken into custody and identified as
Kraig Walter Benson, date of birth 8/24/1976.
Det. Sean Evans indicated that the male taken into custody identified
himself as Kraig Walter Benson. A comparison of Facebook records further
indicated the arrested person is Kraig Walter Benson.
Based on the above information, the affiant believes probable cause
exists that the Defendant has committed the alleged offenses of Count I.
Deliberate Homicide and Count II. Deliberate Homicide with the use of a
firearm.
Accordingly, the affiant moves the Court for leave to file the requested
Information.
DATED this 29th day August, 2023.

DANIEL M. GUZYNSKI
STEPHANIE ROBLES
Assistant Attorneys General
Special Deputy County Attorneys
for Mineral County

By: IC IPIA444
DANIEL M. GU SKI

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SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 29th day of August, 2023, by,
Daniel M. Guzynski.

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